Monday 03.01.10: WHITE ARROWS / SPIRIT ANIMAL / SUPERHUMANOIDS / THE DAMN SONS

White Arrows || Mp3

A few months ago we introduced you to Cali-based band, White Arrows, and their outpouring of beachband badassery. Their debut EP, Hearts and Lungs, has been one of constant rotation here in Beastonia, thanks to most catchy tracks like Coming or Going and The Voyeur. Now, the boys are back and better than ever with a fantastic cover of Bruce Springsteen’s song, I’m On Fire. Now, your initialy behoovement might be to say, “don’t cover The Boss!”, HOWEVER, when Mickey and his mates tackle this tune, the end result is one that you’ll be praising. With their signature keyboard, loosely laidback undertone and vocals that effortlessly channel the Jersey rock god, you’d be hard pressed not to love this live recording of a classic! – Sheena Beaston

with:
Spirit Animal || Listen
Superhumanoids
The Damn Sons

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Saturday 03.27.10: THE QUARTER AFTER / FEDERALE (with members of Brian Jonestown Massacre) / CHIEF NOWHERE / OJOS ROJOS

The Quarter After || Listen || Watch

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably flipped through your mom’s photo albums feeling slight pangs of jealousy that you missed out on the era of the flower child, tambourines and LSD aplenty, when rock and roll had meaning. Don’t worry, The Quarter After feel your pain. The world that Rob and Dominic Campanella conjure up in their songs may be one that has come and gone, but who says we can’t pretend? To make the inevitable Byrds comparison may be a bit too obvious and overdone, but it is certainly accurate; the Campanella brothers’ warm vocal harmonies capture that 60s spirit beautifully. The sound is rounded out by percussionist Nelson Bragg, who is also a member of Brian Wilson’s band. Yep, Brian Wilson. That should show you the caliber of musicians we have here. And like any musical project that spawned from the Brian Jonestown Massacre, there is an ever-changing cast of musicians on stage, guest appearances, designated maraca shakers and tambourine rattlers. The communal spirit of the scene is what sets it apart and makes it thrive.

They kicked off their set with the song “Sanctuary” from their new album Changes Near; the song begins with a muddy bassline and then suddenly bursts into a melody that sounds positively soaked in sunshine. Other standout songs include “This Is How I Want To Know You”, saturated in their signature harmonies, and the other-worldly “Winter Song” which has an almost medieval or Celtic quality to it in its majestic flute solo and airy drumming.

While some 60s-influenced bands just blatantly rip off the classics to create watered-down Jefferson Airplane covers, The Quarter After builds upon their musical inspirations and infuse their songs with modern instrumentation and style. Songs for forward-thinking modern hippies, displaced in present-day Los Angeles. Check your shoes at the door (oh, if only we still could). – Nu Rave Brain Wave

with:
Federale (with members of Brian Jonestown Massacre)
Chief Nowhere
Ojos Rojos

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Thursday 03.19.10: DIVING BELLS / HAUNTED TIGER / CASTANO

Diving Bells

with:
Haunted Tiger
Castano

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Wednesday 03.17.10: LES BLANKS / THE BLASTING COMPANY / FRANCISCO THE MAN

Les Blanks || Listen || Watch

Los Angeles indie trio Les Blanks brings the bravado in droves with this most recent LP, Shoot the Horse, a sing/speak-styled effort vocally reminiscent of Fu Manchu’s Scott Hill or Frank Black of Pixies fame.

After trademark issues sprang up over the band’s original name, Muso, the group settled on naming itself after critically lauded documentary filmmaker Les Blank. Just as The New York Times described Blank as “a documentarian of folk cultures,” Shoot the Horse chronicles a seemingly Southerly-raised youth coming to understand and criticize the world, juxtaposing Bible Belt-bred piety and God-fearing reverence with implied hypocrisy. Most apparent in the Wurlitzer-driven “Grand Kickstand,” lead singer Joshua Caldwell croons, “Strong hand commands in holy land / Brain brand the kid with Judas tan.”

Nothing if not dynamic, the album’s sound runs the gamut — the tinny, rapid-fire thrashing coming from Caldwell’s Telecaster on “Starry Tilting Sizzle” invites the swagger and sway of hips and boots on crowded dance floors, while the ragtime-tinged piano found in “La Reina” calls for a laidback saloon-style listening session. – Performer Mag

with:
The Blasting Company || Listen
Francisco The Man

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Sunday 03.14.10: SABERTOOTH TIGER / MEMORY / TREMELLOW / MUMIY TROLL

Sabertooth Tiger || Listen

Congrats to Sabertooth Tiger (pictured above) on the release of their new record Set the Controls on vinyl, which they celebrated last night at Three Clubs with Holloys and Brother Reade . They sounded great. Be sure to pick up their new record asap. – LA-Underground

with:
Memory
Tremellow || Listen
Mumiy Troll || Listen

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Friday 03.26.10: RADAR BROS (CD release show) / BELL GARDENS / EXTRA

Radar Bros || Listen || Watch || Mp3

On March 23, Radar Brothers will release The Illustrated Garden. Jim Putnam has found a new band of brothers in bass player Be Hussey and drummer Stevie Treichel, two partners who are equally passionate about the band.

The original line-up of Radar Brothers died on January 29th, 2008. The band was on stage at the Echo in Los Angeles playing the record release show for their new album, Auditorium. However, after a brief hiatus, the new configuration of Radar Brothers began with live performances. Jim, Be and Stevie built a tight bond while touring together in the US and Europe. Writing together was the natural next step and March 23rd, 2010 represents the culmination of the Radar Brothers rebirth.

The Illustrated Garden is the punchiest, most lyrically direct set of songs the band has released to date. The songs are unmistakably Radar Brothers, but the Treichel/Hussey rhythm section often pushes them in unexpected directions.

with:
Bell Gardens
Extra

8:30pm / $8 Advance, $10 Day of show / 21+

Tuesday 03.30.10: HUGH CORNWELL (From the Stranglers) / KRISTEENYOUNG

Hugh Cornwell || Listen || Watch

Hugh Cornwell completed his new album Hooverdam and first film Blueprint (a live studio performance of the film and interview) in Toerag Studios in 2008 with producer Liam Watson, best known for producing the White Stripes’ Elephant. Hooverdam is also available worldwide as a high-quality free download from Hugh’s own website and from www.ih52.com. This site is in ten languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Farsi, Russian, Mandarin and Japanese), bringing Hugh’s music for free to most of the world’s population. The physical release is a triple-sleeved digipak featuring both album and film in one exclusive CD / DVD package. The album is also available on vinyl.

Hugh Cornwell is one of the UK’s finest song-writing talents and accomplished live performers. The original guitarist, singer and main songwriter in The Stranglers enjoyed massive UK and European success with ten hit albums and twenty-one top forty singles in the 17-year period he was in the band. The Stranglers etched themselves into the UK’s musical psyche with Peaches, No More Heroes, Golden Brown, Always The Sun, Grip, Nice N Sleazy, Duchess, Walk On By, Strange Little Girl and Skin Deep.

with:
KristeenYoung || Listen

8:30pm / $12 advance, $14 day of show / 21+

Thursday 03.11.10: SLOW CLUB / MOLECULES INTERNATIONAL

Slow Club || Watch

Simplicity is something Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor clearly aren’t afraid of: the backbone of their debut album is a range of uncomplicated ideas executed brilliantly and brazenly by a band of two. A layer of witty and often nonsensical lyrics, and improvised percussive embellishments add the differentiation. Lo and behold, Yeah So is immediately more than one could expect given its authors’ unhelpful Nu-Folk tag.

Slow Club landed themselves the generic millstone through associations with the likes of Laura Marling and Tilly and the Wall, but the variety on offer here spans rockabilly on It Doesn’t Have To Be Beautiful, garage during Giving Up On Love and even a bit of shoegaze with the aptly titled I Was Unconscious, So It Was A Dream.

Watson displays an adaptable attitude to his guitar, and so while Come On Youth is tremulous and climatic, the gentle picking on Trophy Room is evocative of the late summer scene mentioned in its lyrics. – BBC

with:
Molecules International

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

Sunday 03.07.10: L.A. Record & White Noise present AUDACITY / FIM / FANTASTICA BASTIDAS / PEG LEG LOVE

Audacity || Listen || Watch

Fullerton punk band Audacity — not to be confused with either the electronic act or the barbershop quartet of the same name — has that thing, that magic, that sense of impending destruction, that fuck-all ’tude that separates a great punk band from a boring one. It’s hard to tell where they’re coming from, exactly, but it’s definitely not from the Epitaph, Revelation or Victory schools of punk. Rather, it’s the lo-fi, smart-as-hell version, the kind Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments, No Age, Pissed Jeans and Fat Day make: bursts of songs that hit like a fist to the face. The band’s debut full-length, Power Drowning, is — how to put it? — fucking awesome, recalling the first-wave SoCal punk of the Descendents, Black Flag and Germs without resorting to mimicry. The band seems to have no fear. “Sister Menthol” is not only a genius name for a song but it is a 1:43 basement scream that’s as insanely tight and inventive as it is furious. On “The Feds,” they move from speed to grinding halt and back again, shifting tempos and melodies like a stupid prog-rock band — except Audacity isn’t a stupid prog band but the opposite. – LA Weekly

with:
Fim
Fantastica Bastidas
Peg Leg Love || Listen

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Thursday 03.04.10: TILT presents TOMMIE SUNSHINE / LOUISAHHH!!! OF STACCATO / STEVEN BLOODBATH / AUDREY NAPOLEON / SHORT CIRCUIT

Tommie Sunshine

TILT in association with Ultra Records, Everyday & Blow Up L.A. present Tommie Sunshine! That’s right, one of the Best DJ’s/Producers in all of Dance Music will be taking over TILT at Spaceland! Downtown Lobby said it best here:

“Not too many people from the current Justice/MSTRKRFT era may be familiar with Tommie Sunshine and his extensive contribution to the electronic music scene, but for you that do know him, then you know the man bumps some intense bass. Just his Myspace page alone has tons of his remixes of artists like Major Lazer, Crystal Method, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.”

We have written about Tommie here at TILTmag.com a few times, sharing how much influence his music and ground breaking sound has changed me as a musician and a business man. The dance music spark that came from Tommie ignited a Disco Inferno called TILT. We absolutely cannot wait for Tommie Sunshine to come back to L.A. to save us from the tired usual songs that have been taking over Hollywood Dancefloors. We are ready for the Infamous, Classic and Original DJ to show us why we like Disco/Dance/Acid House, its for the dancing!- Tilt

with:
Louisahhh!!! of Staccato
Steven Bloodbath – Awesometown
Audrey Napoleon – Control/Everyday
Short Circuit – Binary/TILT

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

Sunday 03.28.10: NEIL HAMBURGER

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

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Saturday 03.13.10: THE FRESH AND ONLYS / WOUNDED LION / SURF CITY / PIVOT

The Fresh And Onlys

The Fresh & Onlys formed just last year in San Francisco, but they already boast more music to their name than most bands manage in twice that time. Over the course of a flurry of 7″s, a limited-edition cassette, and two full-length albums– last spring’s self-titled and now Grey-Eyed Girls– you can hear the sound of a young band busily honing in on what they’re good at. In case you weren’t tipped off by their almost distractingly evocative band name (should we be thinking of the Only Ones, or the Young Fresh Fellows?), the Fresh & Onlys traffic in jangly garage-pop, balancing psych-rock swagger with generous dollops of sweetly cockeyed melody. Their recordings are lovingly caked with crud, and their jams sometimes veer perilously close to derailing completely, which might seem to lump them in with other San Francisco psych revivalists like Thee Oh Sees and Sic Alps. But the Fresh & Onlys are set apart by an endearingly fussy devotion to songcraft and an understated and unfakeable weirdness. Their self-titled record was fairly straightforward but satisfying garage rock; Grey-Eyed Girls is stranger and more interesting, toning down the swagger and finding a sweet spot somewhere in between uptempo brashness and the quirky vulnerability of Beat Happening. – Pitchfork

with:
Wounded Lion
Surf City
Pivot || Listen

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

Wednesday 03.03.10: CLUB NME with THE CAPSHUNS (Record Release show) / BIXBY KNOLLS / VANAPRASTA

The Capshuns

“Silverlake has every right to have a crush on The Capshuns. With a sunny, high energy, Brit-rock sound and a grab bag of catchy tunes, whats not to love?” – LA Times.

with:
The Bixby Knolls
Vanaprasta

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Tuesday 03.02.10: THE HOUNDS BELOW / MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS / RACHEL DEAN AND WAR CHILDREN / MY PET SADDLE

The Hounds Below (with members of The Von Bondies, Friends of Dennis Wilson, 800beloved, & more)

Jason Stollsteimer never had a gang. So when drummer Brandon Macdonald offers the euphemism in describing his devotion to the singer/guitarist and leader of Detroit born punky-bluesy-rock quartet The Von Bondies in regards to their current project, The Hounds Below, Stollsteimer jumps on it with a subtle grin.

The Von Bondies were never a band the same way the Hounds Below are a band, to certain extents.

With a 7” (recorded with Jim Diamond) out this month, The Hounds Below features a wide arc of area musicians: Macdonald (of Qualia/Friends of Dennis Wilson), bassist Molly Jean Schoen (of The Decks), keyboardist Jeremy Freer (of The Juliets), guitarist Sean Lynch (of 800beloved) and guitarist Ben Collins (of Lightning Love).

The newer Hounds songs, following a classy and classic pop style that bridges syrupy crooners to shoegaze alt-rock, required more intricate instrumentation, organs, guitars, bass, drums, that Stollsteimer realized, unlike with VBs, he wouldn’t be able to pull off on his own. But this has become a unique lineup; most joined the septet only knowing one (or two) other members; they’re all single (so no exterior Yoko drama) and they come from different areas, psychedelic, shoegaze, baroque pop, indie-rock — now, together, interpreting an altogether fresh (if still revivalist or “retro”) style in presenting a swathe of moodier R&B, smoky soul, stately ’50s pop, yet still maintaining that dreamy atmospheric fuzz rock sheen. – Real Detroit Weekly

with:
Miranda Lee Richards || Listen
Rachel Dean & War Children
My Pet Saddle || Listen

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

Monday 03.29.10: Monday Night Residency – MOONRATS / WARPAINT

Moonrats

Moonrats is a project of Aska Matsumiya, whose work as vocalist to Aaron Rose’s instrumentation in the Sads is singular in its beauty, and whose new AsDSSka project with analog synthian David Scott Stone is exquisite. Moonrats writes sturdy guitar-drum-maraca songs with choruses and hooks. – LA Weekly

with:
Warpaint

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 03.22.10: Monday Night Residency – MOONRATS / HE’S MY BROTHER, SHE’S MY SISTER / HALLOWEEN SWIM TEAM

Moonrats

Moonrats is a project of Aska Matsumiya, whose work as vocalist to Aaron Rose’s instrumentation in the Sads is singular in its beauty, and whose new AsDSSka project with analog synthian David Scott Stone is exquisite. Moonrats writes sturdy guitar-drum-maraca songs with choruses and hooks. – LA Weekly

with:
He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister
Halloween Swim Team || Listen

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 03.15.10: Monday Night Residency – MOONRATS / LAWRENCE ARABIA / CORRIDOR / SKYBOMBERS

Moonrats

Moonrats is a project of Aska Matsumiya, whose work as vocalist to Aaron Rose’s instrumentation in the Sads is singular in its beauty, and whose new AsDSSka project with analog synthian David Scott Stone is exquisite. Moonrats writes sturdy guitar-drum-maraca songs with choruses and hooks. – LA Weekly

with:
Lawrence Arabia
Corridor
Skybombers || Listen

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 03.08.10: Monday Night Residency – MOONRATS / PAIGE STARK / ADANOWSKY / SOKO

Moonrats

Moonrats is a project of Aska Matsumiya, whose work as vocalist to Aaron Rose’s instrumentation in the Sads is singular in its beauty, and whose new AsDSSka project with analog synthian David Scott Stone is exquisite. Moonrats writes sturdy guitar-drum-maraca songs with choruses and hooks. – LA Weekly

with:
Paige Stark
ADANOWSKY
Soko

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 02.07.10: MY PET SADDLE / A.M. / ALLAH LAS

My Pet Saddle || Listen || Watch

You can feel the sunshine and warmth infused in every My Pet Saddle tune. The laid-back riffs bob happily along beneath the shout-along verses, the kinds of songs that were probably debuted at summer house parties over a bit too much beer. But that’s what I love about these bands! Youthful, totally carefree, raw Americana–from the dash of twang on “Alaskan Sun” to the punchy steel guitar that kicks off “Il Fait Beau”. – Nu Rave Brain Wave

with:
A.M.
Allah Las

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Wednesday 02.17.10: Club NME with OH MY STARS / I HATE KATE / CURTAINS FOR YOU / SUMMER OBSESSION

Oh My Stars || Watch

with:
Curtains for You || Listen
Summer Obsession || Listen
I Hate Kate

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Wednesday 02.24.10: Spaceland & KROQ present CLUB NME with DAN BLACK

Dan Black || Listen || Watch

Home Counties hipster hero Black has namedropped Prince, DJ Shadow, Beck, De La Soul as influnces on ‘Un’ and he clearly has the perspicacious production savvy of those acts.

Alone has a bassline so filthy that suspicious looking men had to smuggle it from the studio in plain paper bags. Yours is slickly furtive and snappily voyeuristic breakbeat fun, like Lo Fi Allstars on a stakeout in Paris (where Black made this accomplished album). Pump My Pumps is terrific post-Soulwax disco that would work terrifically alongside Thieves Like US and Mylo on the dancefloor.

Dan Black has made a smart, confident record that is far more accessible than many made by such an overtly cool customer. It should even see him gain some mainstream popularity. ‘Deux’ should be worth waiting for. – BBC

Plus Club NME djs spinning brit pop, indie, electro

8:30pm / $1.06 / 21+

Sunday 02.14.10: DANIEL LANOIS’ BLACK DUB / ROCCO DELUCA

Daniel Lanois’ Black Dub || Listen || Watch

Few musicians have a sound so wholly their own and so completely engulfing live as Daniel Lanois. Lanois’s music is already good on record but live takes on a whole new life of its own, filling the space and encapsulating its listeners with a kind of warm, joyous energy; making one simultaneously quietly blissful and loudly appreciative. And yet what Daniel Lanois is best known for are his production credits (big names like U2, Bob Dylan, and Peter Gabriel, to name just a few), which he has certainly earned but overshadow his music, more than deserving of its own big spotlight.

His latest project, Black Dub, puts him together with three other amazing musicians: Previous collaborators Brian Blade (drums) and Daryl Johnson (bass), along young singer (and occasional guitarist and drummer during this set) Trixie Whitley. The four didn’t disappoint at the Troubadour in LA, playing a set of new material, mixed with a few of Daniel’s own solo songs, that left us clamouring for more. – Ruckus

with:
Rocco DeLuca || Listen

8:30pm / $12 advance, $14 day of show / 21+

Friday 02.05.10: HELEN STELLAR / HEXHAM HEADS (formerly Shiloe) / WET AND RECKLESS / DIRT BIRD

Helen Stellar || Watch

Energized by new material and the addition of a fourth member, guitarist Eli Lhymn, Helen Stellar is finishing up work on a new album and on Wednesday at the Echo will play only its second show in the past three years.

The album — whose working title is “If the Stars Could Speak, They Would Have Your Voice — And It Would Say I Love You” — refines Helen Stellar’s neo-shoegaze aesthetic, with Evens’ soaring vocals riding a cross-stitch of reverb-heavy guitars and driving beats. Mopey, it’s not, as the paean to new beginnings “From Hear On” reveals. “It’s hopeful — very positive for the most part,” Evens says. – Buzz Bands

with:
Hexham Heads || Listen
Wet & Reckless || Watch
Dirt Bird

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Tuesday 02.23.10: L.A. Record & White Noise present FREE ENERGY / THE BLANK TAPES / EARLY DOLPHIN / TOMORROW’S TULIPS

Free Energy || Listen || Watch

After the breakup of Minnesota indie band Hockey Night, frontman Paul Sprangers and guitarist Scott Wells formed Free Energy. Now based in Philadelphia, Free Energy take the blithe, hooky classic rock of groups like Thin Lizzy, Cheap Trick, and Tom Petty as their jumping-off point. After recording a few demos, the duo recruited a full band and hooked up with– of all labels– the uber-hip NYC dance powerhouse DFA.

DFA honcho and LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy produced “Dream City”, Free Energy’s joyous sugar-rush of a debut track. “Dream City”, which we designated a Best New Track, is the last thing you’d expect from DFA. It’s a total car radio summer jam, a chugging singalong that could make a hell of a sitcom theme (a good thing!). – Pitchfork

with:
The Blank Tapes
Early Dolphin
Tomorrow’s Tulips

8:30pm / $7 / 21+

Thursday 02.25.10: VISQUEEN / BEAR HANDS / ADAM BONES

Visqueen || Listen

Honest rock-and-roll records are hard to come by these days. Every group has a gimmick or, even worse, they’re from Brooklyn. Not Visqueen. On its third album, the band, led by guitarist and singer Rachel Flotard, traffics in fundamentals (guitar, bass, drums) and fury. From the disc’s opening blast, “Hand Me Down,” to its crashing coda 10 songs later, “Jimmy vs. James,” the music is insistent, urgent, thrilling. There are no wasted notes, no flash distractions. Flotard’s voice wants to be heard, not lost in swirly atmospherics. It rises above the raucous, crunching guitar din, a thought bubble sung, clear and certain.

There’s a complexity to Flotard’s singing that makes even seemingly straightforward lines feel layered. “When you gonna fight for love?” she howls, and it sounds like both a challenge and a plea. Elsewhere she roars, wallows, reassures and threatens in equal measure, each song filled with conviction, loaded with meaning. Backing vocals by Neko Case add to the winning mix of loveliness and grit. – The Washington Post

with:
Bear Hands || Listen
Adam Bones || Listen

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Friday 02.12.10: Web in Front presents SHADOW SHADOW SHADE / TWILIGHT SLEEP / MARVELOUS TOY

Shadow Shadow Shade

A year ago last week, I wrote that L.A. septet Afternoons were a good bet to release one of the finest albums of 2009. So much for my crystal ball.

Instead, the business of writing, recording and releasing new material has moved glacially (and carefully) for the band, whose operatic pop anthems grabbed L.A. by the ears in 2008. Finally, at the outset of 2010, there is news to report: The group has changed its name to Shadow Shadow Shade (no MySpace page for that moniker yet) and has nearly completed a six-song release of all-new material.

Setting aside local favorites such as “Say Yes” and “Love Is a Western Word” for the time being, the band worked much of the year on new songs — as well as paid attention to its new management/legal team, which told the band in no uncertain terms that a name change was in order because the Welsh pop band the Afternoons were there first.

“It’s been six months of wracking our brain for a name,” says singer-guitarist Brian Canning, who explains that he and mates Aaron Burrows, Brent Turner, Claire McKeown, Sam Johnson, Steven Scott and Thomas Biller finally thrashed out a new name during a band meeting at a bar. That followed, Turner says, one 24-hour stretch that saw more than 250 e-mails exchanged between members.

The new material? It’s 35-plus minutes of music, somewhere between and full-length and an EP, and still subject to some editing, Canning says. “I want to call it a concept EP, but I shouldn’t say that because it sounds too indulgent,” he says. “Let’s just say the songs are long, and flow into one another.”

OK, so … Bands to Watch, 2010: Shadow Shadow Shade. – Buzz Bands

with:
Twilight Sleep
Marvelous Toy

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Saturday 02.13.10: DANIEL LANOIS’ BLACK DUB / ROCCO DELUCA

Daniel Lanois’ Black Dub || Listen || Watch

Few musicians have a sound so wholly their own and so completely engulfing live as Daniel Lanois. Lanois’s music is already good on record but live takes on a whole new life of its own, filling the space and encapsulating its listeners with a kind of warm, joyous energy; making one simultaneously quietly blissful and loudly appreciative. And yet what Daniel Lanois is best known for are his production credits (big names like U2, Bob Dylan, and Peter Gabriel, to name just a few), which he has certainly earned but overshadow his music, more than deserving of its own big spotlight.

His latest project, Black Dub, puts him together with three other amazing musicians: Previous collaborators Brian Blade (drums) and Daryl Johnson (bass), along young singer (and occasional guitarist and drummer during this set) Trixie Whitley. The four didn’t disappoint at the Troubadour in LA, playing a set of new material, mixed with a few of Daniel’s own solo songs, that left us clamouring for more. – Ruckus

with:
Rocco DeLuca || Listen

8:30pm / $12 advance, $14 day of show / 21+

Friday 02.26.10: MEMORY TAPES / DAZZLE SHIPS / COSMIC KIDS

Memory Tapes || Listen || Watch

More than a few of these singles came from Philadelphia’s Dayve Hawk in the guise of either Memory Cassette, Weird Tapes, or Memory Tapes. To this point, he’d served as something of a microcosm for this sound, which has created intriguingly hazy, wistful but beat-informed one-offs and EPs, but nothing weighty enough to get it past “something we did that one summer,” as if it were a road trip or ill-fated romance recalled years later. That was before Seek Magic, a record of achingly gorgeous dance-pop that captures both the joy of nostalgia and the melancholic sense that we’re grasping for good times increasingly out of reach.

Initially, Seek Magic’s power derives from an intensely personalized ability to unlock hidden chambers in our memory banks. The half-submerged guitars that introduce “Swimming Field” suggest this is as a soundtrack for a restless evening, but between its F-G chord progression and aqueous thumb-piano and panflute synths, I’m reminded of scorching July days vibing out to Wilco’s A Ghost Is Born. Instrumental breaks “Pink Stones” and “Run Out” recall the unconventional beauty of Apehx Twin’s Richard D. James Album. “Green Knight” smacks of Police’s “Wrapped Around Your Finger” in its verse and any number of mid-80s light funk with its guitar licks, the sneaker squeak in the instrumental break is one of the most evocative found sounds I’ve heard in a while. – Pitchfork

with:
Dazzle Ships
Cosmic Kids

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

Thursday 02.18.10: IMAAD WASIF / LOU BARLOW & THE MISSING MEN / AVI BUFFALO

Imaad Wasif || Listen || Watch

From his folky debut through the harder-rocking follow-up to this current album, Wasif seems to have learned a thing about how to play to the crowd, generally in a good way. There are quieter moments, and interludes that hark back to his earlier work, but The Voidist is unafraid to lay it on the line and rock out, earning comparisons to everything from stadium rockers to, yes, the aforementioned bands he’s played with on tour.

Opening and closing strong, the album is well-sequenced. The eastern-tinged melodies of “Redeemer” may feel a bit as if they’re straight out of the psych-rock handbook, but that’s almost beside the point given the strength of the riff and Wasif’s smooth vocals. The changes the song goes through during its second half are also well-handled, and a good example of how even the most straightforward tracks often contain a bit more than they first appear to. “Razorlike,” which closes the album and also happens to be the longest song here, moves through ghostly cadences into a forceful beat and thence through thick power chords that dissolve into foggy lyrical visions of empires. Throughout, Wasif’s guitar work — whether it be chugging riffs, fuzz-wah leads, or gently shimmering notes — serves as the lynchpin. – Dusted

with:
Lou Barlow & The Missing Men
Avi Buffalo

8:30pm / $7 / 21+

Thursday 02.11.10: IMAAD WASIF / BECKY STARK / VOICE ON TAPE

Imaad Wasif || Listen || Watch

From his folky debut through the harder-rocking follow-up to this current album, Wasif seems to have learned a thing about how to play to the crowd, generally in a good way. There are quieter moments, and interludes that hark back to his earlier work, but The Voidist is unafraid to lay it on the line and rock out, earning comparisons to everything from stadium rockers to, yes, the aforementioned bands he’s played with on tour.

Opening and closing strong, the album is well-sequenced. The eastern-tinged melodies of “Redeemer” may feel a bit as if they’re straight out of the psych-rock handbook, but that’s almost beside the point given the strength of the riff and Wasif’s smooth vocals. The changes the song goes through during its second half are also well-handled, and a good example of how even the most straightforward tracks often contain a bit more than they first appear to. “Razorlike,” which closes the album and also happens to be the longest song here, moves through ghostly cadences into a forceful beat and thence through thick power chords that dissolve into foggy lyrical visions of empires. Throughout, Wasif’s guitar work — whether it be chugging riffs, fuzz-wah leads, or gently shimmering notes — serves as the lynchpin. – Dusted

with:
Becky Stark
Voice on Tape

8:30pm / $7 / 21+

Thursday 02.04.10: IMAAD WASIF / MOCKINGBIRDS / JASON SIMON

Imaad Wasif || Listen || Watch

From his folky debut through the harder-rocking follow-up to this current album, Wasif seems to have learned a thing about how to play to the crowd, generally in a good way. There are quieter moments, and interludes that hark back to his earlier work, but The Voidist is unafraid to lay it on the line and rock out, earning comparisons to everything from stadium rockers to, yes, the aforementioned bands he’s played with on tour.

Opening and closing strong, the album is well-sequenced. The eastern-tinged melodies of “Redeemer” may feel a bit as if they’re straight out of the psych-rock handbook, but that’s almost beside the point given the strength of the riff and Wasif’s smooth vocals. The changes the song goes through during its second half are also well-handled, and a good example of how even the most straightforward tracks often contain a bit more than they first appear to. “Razorlike,” which closes the album and also happens to be the longest song here, moves through ghostly cadences into a forceful beat and thence through thick power chords that dissolve into foggy lyrical visions of empires. Throughout, Wasif’s guitar work — whether it be chugging riffs, fuzz-wah leads, or gently shimmering notes — serves as the lynchpin. – Dusted

with:
Mockingbirds (Members of Red Sparowes)
Jason Simon (of Dead Meadow)

8:30pm / $7 / 21+

Sunday 02.21.10: HELL YA NIGHT with BARON VON LUXXURY / DEV / TMILLS / JAMISON

Baron Von Luxxury || Listen || MP3

Baron von Luxxury wears many hats. Like fellow multiplatform multitaskers James Murphy (DFA/LCD Soundsystem) and, hell, Timbaland, he’s a songwriter, performer, and producer, not to … (more) mention a DJ and label owner. As singer/producer/songwriter for San Francisco’s electropop/indie darlings Luxxury, he concocts shiny, sexy sonic cocktails combining the modern electro sounds of MSTRKRFT and Daft Punk with the classic, quirky dance/pop/rock sounds of New Order, ELO and Devo. In his DJ guise, BvL has DJ’d at some of the finest indie electro venues from SF to NYC, and is a member of The Workout, a DJ/production team that runs a monthly residency in San Francisco and a daily updated MP3 blog at www.discoworkout.com. – RCRDLBL

with:
Dev
TMILLS
Jamison

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Sunday 02.28.10: NEIL HAMBURGER / BRODY STEVENS / NATASHA LEGGERO / TWO BROTHERS ONE MIND

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:
Brody Stevens
Natasha Leggero
Two Brothers One Mind

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Tuesday 02.16.10: MIA DOI TODD AND FRIENDS / BECKY STARK / F.D. SCHER / DJ FROSTY

Mia Doi Todd || Listen || Watch

Beautiful, entrancing folk songs in the truest sense roll from Mia Doi Todd – still, patient and fearless – rather akin to Joan Baez. Intimate and clear, Mia Doi Todd’s lovely songs command full attention. It’s in the combo of her perfect enunciation; her subtle variations on guitar which at times evoke natural elements, mostly of the water variety, from raindrops to thunderheads to brooding ocean to flowing river; her distinctive voice – at once earth and sky or leather and silk; her entirely masterful songwriting. Mia Doi Todd leaves no mossy stone unturned, uncovering universal emotional topics in fiercely personal fashion. In fact, there’s no bullshit at all associated with the artist or her music. She cuts right to the pithy core. Never in-your-face, though, Mia’s lyrics honestly suggest through experience while leaving enough space for you to get inside the songs as your own. – Luxury Wafers

with:
Becky Stark
F. D. Scher
DJ Frosty (Dub Lab)

8:30pm / $7 / 21+

02.09.10: MIA DOI TODD / CORREATOWN / ARIANA DELAWARI / DJ NOBODY / SPECIAL GUEST

Mia Doi Todd || Listen || Watch

Beautiful, entrancing folk songs in the truest sense roll from Mia Doi Todd – still, patient and fearless – rather akin to Joan Baez. Intimate and clear, Mia Doi Todd’s lovely songs command full attention. It’s in the combo of her perfect enunciation; her subtle variations on guitar which at times evoke natural elements, mostly of the water variety, from raindrops to thunderheads to brooding ocean to flowing river; her distinctive voice – at once earth and sky or leather and silk; her entirely masterful songwriting. Mia Doi Todd leaves no mossy stone unturned, uncovering universal emotional topics in fiercely personal fashion. In fact, there’s no bullshit at all associated with the artist or her music. She cuts right to the pithy core. Never in-your-face, though, Mia’s lyrics honestly suggest through experience while leaving enough space for you to get inside the songs as your own. – Luxury Wafers

with:
Correatown || Listen
Ariana Delawari || Listen
DJ Nobody
Plus A Special Guest at Midnight

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Tuesday 02.02.10: MIA DOI TODD / ASKA / ADANOWSKY / NICK AND MARCEL / DJ RENTERIA

Mia Doi Todd || Listen || Watch

Beautiful, entrancing folk songs in the truest sense roll from Mia Doi Todd – still, patient and fearless – rather akin to Joan Baez. Intimate and clear, Mia Doi Todd’s lovely songs command full attention. It’s in the combo of her perfect enunciation; her subtle variations on guitar which at times evoke natural elements, mostly of the water variety, from raindrops to thunderheads to brooding ocean to flowing river; her distinctive voice – at once earth and sky or leather and silk; her entirely masterful songwriting. Mia Doi Todd leaves no mossy stone unturned, uncovering universal emotional topics in fiercely personal fashion. In fact, there’s no bullshit at all associated with the artist or her music. She cuts right to the pithy core. Never in-your-face, though, Mia’s lyrics honestly suggest through experience while leaving enough space for you to get inside the songs as your own. – Luxury Wafers

with:
Aska
ADANOWSKY
Nick & Marcel
DJ Renteria

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Wednesday 02.10.10: Club NME with SILENT STAR / THE DIG / THE PASSPORTS / IMAGINE DRAGONS

Silent Star || Watch

Silent Star is Corey Miller, Ryan Dansby, Mickey Madden and Theresa Flaminio. The music of Silent Star is emotional, a little dark, but optimistic with poignant content. The feel is timeless and thought-out, while, melodically, the songs cover quite a range. Corey’s voice is lyrical with a bit of angst, but still hopeful. Band harmonies are very clean and sensual at times. The sound is multi-layered, fed by organic instruments with a few surprises. There is depth and dedication to the songs, which are classic with a retro twist, never sounding dated.

with:
The Dig || Listen
The Passports
Imagine Dragons || Listen

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Satuday 02.20.10: HARLEM / DANTE VS ZOMBIES / J. WORTHINGTON FOULFELLOWS

Harlem || Watch || MP3

Austin can now add another band to their ever-increasing list of up and coming young artists; this one goes by Harlem. Formed during the summer of 2007 in Nashville, TN, the duo of Michael Coomers and Curtis O’Mara were soon “blacklisted in Nashville for getting into fights with all the kids who played music there.” The duo then brought their raucous live show, which includes the duo switching between guitar and drums throughout, to Tucson and then to California. Curtis claims they “moved to California for fame and fortune but all we got was a walk-on role in a new … movie.” After landing bassist John Hostetter and finding a fit in Austin, Harlem released their debut LP Free Drugs via Female Fantasy Records, and started to generated significant attention.

The album drew high praise from basically everyone and, not surprisingly, soon drew the attention from Matador Records, which would sign the band to a multi-record deal in June 2009. The trio, now with Jose Boyer on bass, worked diligently throughout the summer in Costa Mesa, CA’s Distillery with the help of producer Mike McHugh, in an effort to produce a worthy followup. McHugh’s credits include mixing for Train’s debut album and engineering The Black Lips’ Let it Bloom.

Harlem’s second album, Hippies, is set to be released April 6th, two weeks after a scheduled appearance at South by Southwest. According to Strangeglue the 16-track album “is a blend of cocky indie-rock and unabashedly catchy garage-melodies.” Don’t just take their word for it; check out the first release off the new album, “Friendly Ghosts”. – Consequence of Sound

with:
Dante vs. Zombies
J. Worthington Foulfellows (ex- THEE MAKE OUT PARTY)

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

Monday 02.22.10: LAist presents Monday Night Residency – PRINCETON / CASTLEDOOR / LANME (Los Angeles New Music Ensemble) / NEW VILLAGER

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:
Castledoor || Listen
LANME (Los Angeles New Music Ensemble)
New Villager

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 02.15.10: Monday Night residency – PRINCETON / LE SWITCH / WADE RYFF AND FRIENDS / ADAM STERN

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:
Le Switch || Listen
Wade Ryff & Friends
Adam Stern || Listen

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 02.08.10: LA Record presents Monday Night Residency – PRINCETON / CASXIO / RAFTER / HISTORY OF MANNERS

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:
Casxio || Listen
Rafter || Listen
History of Manners

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 02.01.10: Viva Radio presents – Monday Night Residency – PRINCETON / 60 WATT KID / ACTIVE CHILD / TS AND THE PAST HAUNTS

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:
60 Watt Kid || Listen
Active Child || Listen
TS And The Past Haunts

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Saturday 02.27.10: SCOUT NIBLETT / DIRT DRESS / THOUSAND DOZEN GLOVES / FOOT FOOT

Scout Niblett || Listen || Watch || MP3

Like heat rushing in the door, Scout Niblett is suddenly in the room again. Her familiar keening moan opines, “It’s time I danced again,” and the pressure intensifies. “It’s Time” unfolds slowly, doing the grind, working her body and yours. It’s better than Bikram yoga, and twice as hot. Flip the platter and you get “My Beloved,” a grooving, stop-start hip-bumper, with the drums break-beating forward in sway with Scout’s wall of burning guitars. As always, Scout’s the player behind all the sounds on the record. This one was done at home while a foot of snow crept around outside her front door, providing the isolation required to do all the playing and recording and not go completely mad. Just slightly mad will get the job done every time.

with:
Dirt Dress
Thousand Dozen Gloves
Foot Foot

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

Friday 02.19.10: ANCESTORS / BLACK MATH HORSEMAN / INTRONAUT / MOUNTAINS OF CALIFORNIA

Ancestors || Listen

Ancestors’ second full-length Of Sound Mind isn’t out until October, but the Los Angeles quintet’s packed these eight new songs with enough layers of progressive doom expansiveness that you should start listening now. The group name checks Neurosis, King Crimson, Eric Dolphy, Miles Davis, and Peter Brotzmann, which is all fairly lofty, but Of Sound, a triumphant prog-metal ride, breaks the one-hour mark and doesn’t drag, so no worries. The almost 14-minute “Bounty Of Age,” which cycles through heavy drums, airy organs/synths, King Crimson curve balls, and finally some crunching and crusty metal, is a good place to start. (It will take a number of listens.) In addition to the core group, the new album also features contributions from David Scott Stone, Sera Timms, and cellist Ramiro Zapata. As far as the words, we’re told:

Lyrically and thematically, Of Sound Mind contemplates the quandaries of human psychology and its effect on and within the development of modern society. Although essentially conceptual in nature, the record is a blatant transition from the allegorical and mythological framework of their debut Neptune With Fire. [It] lends meaning, while actively seeking answers, much like the work of Camus or Thoreau.

But if Thoreau was into Floyd and Camus decided to write like Proust. Start thinking on that after you’ve absorbed everything else… like a song that may/may not reference Kafka. Either way, it definitely goes with the psychology/modern society thing. – Stereogum

with:
Black Math Horseman || Listen
Intronaut
Mountains Of California

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Wednesday 02.03.10: CLUB NME with NOMO / ORGONE

NOMO || Listen || Watch || MP3

On last year’s Ghost Rock, NOMO established their own brand of future funk, built on hypnotic grooves comprised of drums and a huge collection of electrified, homemade likembes and scrap metal. The horn section, once the thundering heart of the band, took on a different role, settling into spaced-out dialogue with the rhythms– leader Elliot Bergman’s more conversational horn charts recalled Charles Mingus and Sun Ra in their perfectly pitched balance between structure and disorder. Invisible Cities serves as something of a breath-catching moment for a band that’s taken a giant leap on each of its albums, bringing some of the thunder back while further elaborating on the progress made on Ghost Rock.

Invisible Cities is the exact record NOMO needed to make at the point in their evolution. It consolidates all their gains and nicely sums up their output to this point, and as much as you can point to influences and basic kinship with other artists, the music NOMO are now making is very much their own thing. NOMO’s facility with both rhythm and tunefulness also makes it easy to follow them as they head down their own path. If you’ve come this far with the group, Invisible Cities won’t disappoint, and it’s also a pretty great place to start. – LA Record

with:
Orgone || Listen

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

Saturday 02.06.10: SCOTT H BIRAM / THE DIRT DAUBERS / 1921A

Scott H Biram || Listen || Watch || MP3

Amped sounds of a mad trucker crab broke open Scott H. Biram’s Bloodshot Records’ sophomore sticker, Graveyard Shift (see “Texas Platters,” July 21, 2006), but the bruised heart of “Lost Case of Being Found” and “Santa Fe” uncovered disarming vulnerability. Something’s Wrong/Lost Forever, platter six for the local one-man wrecker, opens on the institutional dementia of “Hospital Escape,” which sets up the Fat Possum transistor blues of “Time Flies” (“when you’re going down slow”). Yet it’s the organ-lacquered strum of “Sinkin’ Down” that records Biram’s secret specialty: down-on-your-luck rubberneck-ability. “Still Drunk, Still Crazy, Still Blue,” organ-coated as well, constitutes authentic outlaw melancholy from George Jones to Merle Haggard. “Draggin’ Down the Line” leaves a trail equally obvious, and electric-hewn solo “Wildside” could dominate the quartet. Biram’s lonesome soul approaches the authenticity of the Black Keys/Dan Auerbach, not forgetting harp carburetors (“Ain’t It a Shame”), foot-stomps (“Hard Time”), or field-holler closer “Go Down Ol’ Hannah.” Graveyard Shift brought annunciation; Something’s Wrong/Lost Forever responds with coalescence. – Austin Chronicle

with:
The Dirt Daubers
1921A

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