Thursday 06.24.10: Thursday Night Residency – FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS / LOVETT / THE DAMSELLES / DJ EL DOPA

Fitz and The Tantrums || Watch

“I like this a lot for very obvious reasons…it’s Dope! It might be song of the week, actually.” – Mark Ronson

“A supercool Motown-style combo in the Mark Ronson/Sharon Jones/mid-period-ABC vein…imagine if Amy Winehouse was blonde, male, and sane, and that’s Fitz” – Yahoo! Music

“You can practically hear the record needle drop on the scratchy 45 when listening to Fitz and The Tantrums, a stylish retro-styled 60′s pop/soul combo” – NBC Los Angeles

“Bringing back all the smooth feel of the Motown golden age with some new bounce. Fitz and his Tantrums are sure to install some smooth soul with a little extra.” – IndieRockReviews.com

with:
LOVETT
THE DAMSELLES
DJ El Dopa

8:30pm / $10 / 21+

Thursday 06.17.10: Thursday Night Residency – FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS / MUSIC FOR ANIMALS / HENRY WOLFE / DJ EL DOPA

Fitz and The Tantrums || Watch

“I like this a lot for very obvious reasons…it’s Dope! It might be song of the week, actually.” – Mark Ronson

“A supercool Motown-style combo in the Mark Ronson/Sharon Jones/mid-period-ABC vein…imagine if Amy Winehouse was blonde, male, and sane, and that’s Fitz” – Yahoo! Music

“You can practically hear the record needle drop on the scratchy 45 when listening to Fitz and The Tantrums, a stylish retro-styled 60′s pop/soul combo” – NBC Los Angeles

“Bringing back all the smooth feel of the Motown golden age with some new bounce. Fitz and his Tantrums are sure to install some smooth soul with a little extra.” – IndieRockReviews.com

with:
MUSIC FOR ANIMALS
HENRY WOLFE
DJ El Dopa

8:30pm / $10 / 21+

Thursday 06.10.10: Thursday Night Residency – FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS / AB & THE SEA / SONNY & THE SUNSETS

Fitz and The Tantrums || Watch

“I like this a lot for very obvious reasons…it’s Dope! It might be song of the week, actually.” – Mark Ronson

“A supercool Motown-style combo in the Mark Ronson/Sharon Jones/mid-period-ABC vein…imagine if Amy Winehouse was blonde, male, and sane, and that’s Fitz” – Yahoo! Music

“You can practically hear the record needle drop on the scratchy 45 when listening to Fitz and The Tantrums, a stylish retro-styled 60′s pop/soul combo” – NBC Los Angeles

“Bringing back all the smooth feel of the Motown golden age with some new bounce. Fitz and his Tantrums are sure to install some smooth soul with a little extra.” – IndieRockReviews.com

with:
AB & THE SEA
SONNY & THE SUNSETS

8:30pm / $10 / 21+

Thursday 06.03.10: Thursday Night Residency – FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS / OH DARLING / THE SPIRES

Fitz and The Tantrums || Watch

“I like this a lot for very obvious reasons…it’s Dope! It might be song of the week, actually.” – Mark Ronson

“A supercool Motown-style combo in the Mark Ronson/Sharon Jones/mid-period-ABC vein…imagine if Amy Winehouse was blonde, male, and sane, and that’s Fitz” – Yahoo! Music

“You can practically hear the record needle drop on the scratchy 45 when listening to Fitz and The Tantrums, a stylish retro-styled 60′s pop/soul combo” – NBC Los Angeles

“Bringing back all the smooth feel of the Motown golden age with some new bounce. Fitz and his Tantrums are sure to install some smooth soul with a little extra.” – IndieRockReviews.com

with:
OH DARLING
THE SPIRES

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

Saturday 05.29.10: 400 BLOWS / BROKEN MIRRORS / KILL THE CAPULETS

400 Blows || Listen || Watch

The seriously underrated – or perhaps just taken for granted by now – 400 Blows followed with a spectacular, no exaggeration, performance of their odd-timed angular-acrobatic riffereeni; the band makes do with one guy in shades yelling, joking and shakin’ fist; another guy supplies all monster high and low end on a mere one guitar, accompanied by an incredibly exciting drummer who flails with awesome power and precision and a crucially nuanced, intuitive feel for the band’s skittery, sculptured jumble over a metal/punk landscape. 400 Blows have been called “Beefheartian,” blah blah blah, whatever, they tower above all other L.A. bands in audacious invention and explosive onstage thrills. – LA Weekly

with:
Broken Mirrors
Kill The Capulets || Listen

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

Thursday 05.27.10: SPECTRUM / THE MEEK / CANNONEERS

Spectrum || Listen

The swirling psychedelic sound of Spectrum, formed by Sonic Boom of Spacemen 3, is not easily labeled. Known for pushing the boundaries with experimental music, whilst also writing pop styled classics such as ‘How You Satisfy Me’ and the highly charged song ‘Revolution’. Sonic’s musical influences range from The Stooges & The Velvet underground through to Brian Wilson’s Smile, early gospel, r&b & doo-wop, many of which can be heard in Spectrum songs. Spectrum has a unique & influential take on the Pop, Psychedelia, Rock & Experimental genres and are dedicated to bringing us back the highs, lows and heavenly blows of Sonic’s psycho-naut experiments and experiences in life. Sonic’s music has long been acknowledged as influential by bands including My Bloody Valentine, Panda Bear, Mogwai ,Psychic Ills , The Black Angels, The Warlocks and The Brian Jones Town Massacre along with many others. Delving into the broad back catalogue fans will be treated to the sounds of tremulant guitars, mood and mind-enhancing electronics, throbbing bass lines and pulsating drums. The audience can expect to hear Spectrum and Spacemen 3 classics diving deeper down into the wah, feedback & fuzzed out frenzy of powerchord epics. Last years EP, War Sucks hints at the variety of material that will feature on the album due for release later this year and fans can expect to hear some new unreleased material. Spectrum’s return to song-based form and meta-psych pop reassures us that they will continue to inspire the digital generation that has already eagerly switched on, tuned in, and turned up. Join them.

with:
The Meek
The Cannoneers

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

Thursday 05.13.10: NINJASONIK / WEAVE! / COSMIC KIDS

Ninjasonik || Listen

“”Ninja fuckin’ Sonik, Sonik fuckin’ Ninja! Their shows are crazy – like if Jabba’s palace was between B-more and Brooklyn, and Han Solo was in new sneakers crowd-surfing with a flipped-up Suicidal Tendencies cap” – Johnny Siera, The Death Set, XLR8R (Best of 2008)

“If you have any political/social/personal space sensibilities prior to a Ninjasonik show, prepare to throw that shit out the window.”- URB, Spring 2009 (Next 100)

“Ninjasonik’s main touchstone may be their indie take on hip hop, but by avoiding the trappings of over-saturated marketing, bling, booties and other bullshit cooked up by label moguls behind oak doors, the bands true spirit comes directly from punk rock.” – Montreal Mirror

with:
Weave!
Cosmic Kids

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

Tuesday 05.18.10: City Of Devils Presents BLACK MATH HORSEMAN / GREEN AND WOOD / LANTVRN / BLACK BREATH

Black Math Horseman || Listen

Wyllt, Black Math Horseman’s debut, is a fascinating compendium of the last 30 years of rock. Many bands are retro-aware– see Bigelf, as well as most of Black Math Horseman’s labelmates on Tee Pee– but few embody the past yet avoid merely wearing its clothes. Retro awareness usually involves blinders to the present, which Black Math Horseman do not wear. One school of thought says that everything that can be done has been done. If so, Black Math Horseman have sharp filters. They’ve funneled the best parts of rock’s giants into a richly idiosyncratic entity.

Black Math Horseman = Led Zeppelin’s bombast + Black Sabbath’s rhythm section + 1970s psych rock dilation + Isis’ minimal-maximal dynamics. This is a horrible description, I know. But when listening to Wyllt, it’s impossible not to hear decades of record collecting riffling by. Parts of “Deerslayer”, for example, could have been on Badmotorfinger (Soundgarden chaneling Sabbath), Ritual de lo Habitual (Jane’s Addiction channeling Zeppelin), and, of all things, She Hangs Brightly. Sera Timms’ mostly cool-tempered voice suggests Nico on 4AD, complete with ghostly reverb. The gauzy “Torment of the Metals” recasts the Doors’ “The End” as Krautrock. – Pitchfork

with:
Green and Wood
Lantvrn || Listen
Black Breath

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Tuesday 05.04.10: OH DARLING / ACTRESS / DIRT BIRD

Oh Darling || Listen || Watch

Bands often name themselves after a song they love from an iconic band/artist/DJ of pop/rock history. Not often, however, does a band live up to the genius that made their namesake so popular in the first place. Oh Darling is a rare group of Angelenos (by way of Portland) who took a fabulous, pop-driven, beautifully enjoyable Beatles song, “Oh, Darling,” and embodied its very essence into everything they create.

With a perfect gender mix (two guys, two girls), just enough electro in their fabulous pop and a flavor of joy often lacking in so many Los Angeles (by way of Portland) based bands, Oh Darling are creating such a sweet noise that we at BeatCrave just had to induct them into our BeatCrave Fav series before they blasted out of their regional acclaim and into the super-orbit of stardom. Take a moment and get to know more about this amazing band that’ll make you dance and smile while listening to lyrics of depth! – BeatCrave

with:
Actress || Listen
Dirt Bird

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Wednesday 05.05.10: PACHA MASSIVE / WAIT. THINK. FAST / CLOROFILA

Pacha Massive || Listen || Watch

“Sexy vocals abound, framed by understated flourishes, that make Latin indie label Nacional’s first U.S. signing a continuous reward for the ears.” – BILLBOARD

“Pacha Massive’s bilingual has warmth, whimsy and a wide-open sense of adventurousness – not to mention the sweet, hummable melodies.”- PASTE MAGAZINE

with
Wait. Think. Fast || Watch
Nortec Collective Presents: Clorofila

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

Sunday 06.27.10: NEIL HAMBURGER / JP INCORPORATED / TOTALLY DARRYL / JOHN TOTTENHAM

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:
J.P. Incorporated || Listen
Totally Darryl
John Tottenham

click to buy tickets online

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Sunday 05.30.10: NEIL HAMBURGER / CLOWNVIS PRESLEY / ADIRA AMRAM / DUNCAN TRUSELL

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:
Clownvis Presley
Adira Amram || Listen
Duncan Trussell

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Thursday 05.06.10: SPIRIT VINE / SPECIAL K AND THE FLYING J / MY PET SADDLE / ROUGHED UP FOLK

Spirit Vine || Listen

Los Angeles-based band Spirit Vine have wowed audiences with their three track EP, Golden, blending rock with soul, blues, and psychadelia. Tirelessly working on new material for an upcoming debut album, we’re currently limited to the aforementioned EP and live performances until more becomes available. Not that we’re complaining: Jacqueline Cingolani’s insanely sexy vocals give us chills that rival anyone else’s attempts (interpret that as you will) and the band’s overall tone seems to take a leaf from Serge Gainsbourg’s Histoire de Melody Nelson – resulting in a classic, enlivening melodical/lyrical envelopment.

Every now and then we bring to light an act that not only works their sound with inspiration, respect and ingenuity but with genuine swagger, thereby taking us by surprise. Needless to say, Spirit Vine is all of the above. – BeatCrave

with:
Special K and The Flying J
My Pet Saddle || Listen
Roughed Up Folk

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Sunday 05.16.10: Spaceland Productions presents SEA WOLF @ The Autry

Sea Wolf || Listen || Watch

Taking its name from novelist Jack London’s 1904 seafaring adventure, Sea Wolf has evolved organically from its hermetic origins in Alex Brown Church’s living room into a muscular, full-bodied musical entity with passion to burn. After adopting the sobriquet, Church burst onto the music scene in two-fisted fashion with the EP, Get to the River Before It Runs Too Low, and the subsequent full-length debut album, Leaves in the River, about which Interview magazine observed, “His music is both erudite and unvarnished, a blend of swirling melodies, literary balladry and damaged art-rock composition.”

And now, Church’s singular vision has led to the creation of the eloquent and expansive new album White Water, White Bloom, which not only fulfills the immense promise of the initial musical diptych but conjures up its own cosmology. This is one of those rare and mysterious records wherein, the first time you hear it, you can’t shake the feeling that it’s always been part of the soundtrack of your life. You intimately know its ups and downs, its melodies and cadences, its settings and characters.

at The Autry Museum
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, California, 90027

7:30pm / $12 advance, $15 day of show / All Ages

Friday 05.21.10: Grimy Goods Showcase – THE DROWNING MEN / THE PITY PARTY / THE FRANKS / THE DAMN SONS

The Drowning Men || Watch

The Drowning Men are fuckin’ rad. Love the vox, love keyboards, love the guitars, love the drums, and I absolutely love their style. They have a very raw indie sound that can rock your soul and even throw you into a magical loop of just beautiful music.

Their short instrumental “Oracle Meets The Weeping Willow,” off their latest album “The Beheading Of The Song Bird”, is so creepy-beautiful. With delicate, yet haunting piano keys, it sounds like it should be in a Tim Burton flick. I’m diggin’ their song “Rita.” Pushing the vox, Nato has some very appealing and very powerful vocals in this song, paired with the explosive instrumentation of sound, that at times breaks into nothing but steady drums and vocals, this tune is pretty damn fresh. – Grimy Goods

with:
The Pity Party || Listen
The Franks || Listen
The Damn Sons

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Monday 05.24.10: Monday Night Residency – SWEETHEAD / ALAIN JOHANNES / MINI MANSIONS

Sweethead || Listen || Watch

Best known for his participation in Queens Of The Stone Age, Van Leeuwen is joined by Serrina Sims, Norm Block on drums (Mark Lanegan Band, Plexi) and Eddie Nappi on bass (Mark Lanegan Band, Handsome) in his second ensemble. Named after a Bowie B-side, Sweethead may well be a hit with purveyors of West Coast sultry rock as the band ride the star power of the vampish Sims, who belts out “her seedy glam tunes with a seductive assurance on par with Chrissie Hynde and Kleveland’s Stephanie Smith. ‘Slashed tires and a cut of vampires left you open to a right-wing malevolence,’ she hisses enigmatically amid Van Leeuwen’s seesawing chords and a sinisterly insistent Stooges piano lurking just below the waterline of ‘The Great Disruptors.’ It’s that modern rarity – a straight-up hard-rock song that’s not ironic or stupid, infused instead with plenty of glittery atmosphere and sexual danger. Sims maintains her cool allure even on faster, punk-style rave-ups like ‘We Turned Our Backs,’ raising expectations all the higher for the album.” – Falling James, LA Weekly

with:
Alain Johannes
Mini Mansions

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 05.17.10: Monday Night Residency – SWEETHEAD / EARTHLINGS? / SEAN WHEELER AND ZANDER SCHLOSS / RED FANG

Sweethead || Listen || Watch

Best known for his participation in Queens Of The Stone Age, Van Leeuwen is joined by Serrina Sims, Norm Block on drums (Mark Lanegan Band, Plexi) and Eddie Nappi on bass (Mark Lanegan Band, Handsome) in his second ensemble. Named after a Bowie B-side, Sweethead may well be a hit with purveyors of West Coast sultry rock as the band ride the star power of the vampish Sims, who belts out “her seedy glam tunes with a seductive assurance on par with Chrissie Hynde and Kleveland’s Stephanie Smith. ‘Slashed tires and a cut of vampires left you open to a right-wing malevolence,’ she hisses enigmatically amid Van Leeuwen’s seesawing chords and a sinisterly insistent Stooges piano lurking just below the waterline of ‘The Great Disruptors.’ It’s that modern rarity – a straight-up hard-rock song that’s not ironic or stupid, infused instead with plenty of glittery atmosphere and sexual danger. Sims maintains her cool allure even on faster, punk-style rave-ups like ‘We Turned Our Backs,’ raising expectations all the higher for the album.” – Falling James, LA Weekly

with:
Earthlings? || Listen
Sean Wheeler / Zander Schloss
Red Fang || Listen

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 05.10.10: Monday Night Residency – SWEETHEAD (Album Release Party) / ASHES DIVIDE / NORMANDIE / DEAD WHITE UNDERBELLY

Sweethead || Listen || Watch

Best known for his participation in Queens Of The Stone Age, Van Leeuwen is joined by Serrina Sims, Norm Block on drums (Mark Lanegan Band, Plexi) and Eddie Nappi on bass (Mark Lanegan Band, Handsome) in his second ensemble. Named after a Bowie B-side, Sweethead may well be a hit with purveyors of West Coast sultry rock as the band ride the star power of the vampish Sims, who belts out “her seedy glam tunes with a seductive assurance on par with Chrissie Hynde and Kleveland’s Stephanie Smith. ‘Slashed tires and a cut of vampires left you open to a right-wing malevolence,’ she hisses enigmatically amid Van Leeuwen’s seesawing chords and a sinisterly insistent Stooges piano lurking just below the waterline of ‘The Great Disruptors.’ It’s that modern rarity – a straight-up hard-rock song that’s not ironic or stupid, infused instead with plenty of glittery atmosphere and sexual danger. Sims maintains her cool allure even on faster, punk-style rave-ups like ‘We Turned Our Backs,’ raising expectations all the higher for the album.” – Falling James, LA Weekly

with:
Ashes Divide || Listen
Normandie
Dead White Underbelly

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 05.03.10: Monday Night Residency – SWEETHEAD / THE DAMN SONS

Sweethead || Listen || Watch

Best known for his participation in Queens Of The Stone Age, Van Leeuwen is joined by Serrina Sims, Norm Block on drums (Mark Lanegan Band, Plexi) and Eddie Nappi on bass (Mark Lanegan Band, Handsome) in his second ensemble. Named after a Bowie B-side, Sweethead may well be a hit with purveyors of West Coast sultry rock as the band ride the star power of the vampish Sims, who belts out “her seedy glam tunes with a seductive assurance on par with Chrissie Hynde and Kleveland’s Stephanie Smith. ‘Slashed tires and a cut of vampires left you open to a right-wing malevolence,’ she hisses enigmatically amid Van Leeuwen’s seesawing chords and a sinisterly insistent Stooges piano lurking just below the waterline of ‘The Great Disruptors.’ It’s that modern rarity – a straight-up hard-rock song that’s not ironic or stupid, infused instead with plenty of glittery atmosphere and sexual danger. Sims maintains her cool allure even on faster, punk-style rave-ups like ‘We Turned Our Backs,’ raising expectations all the higher for the album.” – Falling James, LA Weekly

with:
The Damn Sons

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 06.06.10: VETIVER / FARMER DAVE SCHER

Vetiver || Listen

Earlier Vetiver records cultivated an air of backwoods mysticism, heavy on acoustic picking and tribal percussion, but Tight Knit is a leap ahead, stepping out of the mists and shadows and into a warm, bright clearing. From the first song, “Rolling Sea”—which starts with just a guitar and Cabic’s whispery rasp, then adds instruments until it reaches its lapping, tide-like coda—Tight Knit keeps opening up, inviting more people into the circle. Cabic expands the band’s sound on the record, bringing in a little Aztec Camera-esque jangle on the poppy “More Of This” and some muted horn-propped funk on “Another Reason To Go.” Then Tight Knit ends with “At Forest Edge,” which sounds like an amalgam of American Analog Set and The Jefferson Airplane, and in every way—title included—delineates the headspace in which Vetiver now dwells. – The AV Club

with:
Farmer Dave Scher

8:30pm / $12 advance, $15 day of show / 21+

Saturday 05.22.10: CLEM SNIDE / HELIGOATS / GRAHAM FOREST

Clem Snide || Listen

After a few years of instability when the group’s future was in doubt, Clem Snide are back and in clearly recognizable form on their seventh studio album, The Meat of Life, which finds the core trio of Eef Barzelay (guitar and vocals), Brendan Fitzpatrick (bass and keyboards), and Ben Martin (percussion) joined by guest musicians Tony Crow (keyboards), Roy Agee (trombone), and Carole Rabinowitz (cello). With the band in stable circumstances, for the most part Clem Snide pick up where they left off with Soft Spot and End of Love; except for a few moments where the electric guitars get pushed into overdrive on “BFF” and “Walmart Parking Lot,” The Meat of Life faces Barzelay’s darkly comic lyrics against melodies that wouldn’t have felt out of place on a ’70s soft rock session, with acoustic pianos and tasteful guitar lines providing the aural framework for stories of romantic angst and languid depression. Barzelay is seemingly incapable of singing without appearing to drip with irony, but the 12 songs on The Meat of Life never sound as if the band is forcing the joke, and the subtle balance between the polish of the music and the rough, dour textures of Barzelay’s voice adds something close to poignancy, reflecting the arid, busted lives at the heart of these songs. – All Music Guide

with:
Heligoats || Listen
Graham Forest

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

Friday 05.07.10: THE JANKS / VEIL ERA / FIM / WOOLEN

The Janks || Watch

with:
Veil Era
Fim
Woolen

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Saturday 05.08.10: Passion Of The Weiss presents FREDDIE GIBBS / POLLYN / DAVINCI / HANNI EL KHATIB

Freddie Gibbs || Watch

The standout of the acts I caught that day was Freddie Gibbs, a sharp lyricist with force-of-nature flows who originally hails from Gary, Ind. and now resides in L.A. Unlike many up-and-comers at SXSW, Gibbs isn’t particularly looking to catch a major label’s eye. He’s been there already — signed to Interscope for a time a few years ago, he says he was dropped after being told his music wasn’t commercial enough. “I’m not no pop dude,” he now says flatly. That’s an understatement. His lyrics are uncompromisingly dark, trafficking heavily in menacing attitude, graphic content, and profanity. Yet for a growing number of rap fans and critics, the level of verbal craftsmanship he brings to free online mixtapes like last year’s midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik has proven impossible to ignore. (Watch the gritty black-and-white video for “Womb 2 the Tomb,” a song he and Pill recorded for that mixtape, after the jump; lots of NSFW language.) “I mean, I’m street, I’m gangsta, and everything, but I’m intelligent at the same time,” Gibbs says. “Once people understand that, then they’ll know where I’m coming from.” – Entertainment Weekly

with:
Pollyn || Listen
Davinci
Hanni El Khatib

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

Sunday 05.16.10: Hell Ya! presents GIL MANTERA’S PARTY DREAM / ALL WRONG AND THE PLANS CHANGE / ULTRAVIOLET LIGHTS

Gil Mantera’s Party Dream || Listen || Watch

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:
All Wrong and The Plans Change
Ultraviolet Lights

8:30pm / $10 / 21+

Friday 05.28.10: THE PARSON RED HEADS / OR THE WHALE / OLIN AND THE MOON / WHISPERING PINES

The Parson Red Heads || Listen || Watch

“Los Angeles-via-Oregon collective The Parson Red Heads have a real California-ized sound. The bright guitars, the laid-back vocals, the Brian Wilson -esque harmonies all point to the Sunshine State, so it’s no wonder they drifted away from the rain towards the palm trees.

After touring with the likes of Blitzen Trapper and Earlimart in support of last year’s Owl & Timber EP, the psych-folkers are excited to promote their first-ever vinyl release, Orangufang, out April 28th on JAXART Records. “Raymond” from the forthcoming 7″ is an homage to intermittent Parson member, Raymond Richards, who produced and engineered the track. Building around the strong twang-tinged guitar riff, the retro vocals and tight harmonies solidify their California spirit with a languid drawl that is anything but lazy. And the crazy interplay of guitars at the end just sweeten the deal.” – Filter-Mag.com

with:
Or The Whale || Listen
Olin and The Moon || Listen
Whispering Pines || Listen

8:30pm / $7 / 21+

Sunday 05.02.10: SOLID GOLD / MARVELOUS TOY / JACQUES BARABAN / TRAVIS TK DISKO

Solid Gold || Watch

“The macho/possibly homoerotic Kenny Loggins song from Top Gun gets an impressive electro-soul do-over from the Minneapolis-based Solid Gold. Well done, Midwest!” – NYLON

“Coulter sings like a man believing that the skys full of lies and hes just trying to pick them off, one-by-one.” – Daytrotter

“Dudes know how to set a mood” – The Onion AV Club

“A slinky, sexy, sophisticated mix of indie, electro and soul; like if the Purple One fronted Death Cab For Cutie.” – MTV Buzzworthy

“This totally, TOTALLY addictive piece of laid-back, twinkling Minneapolis funkiness, has us mercilessly hooked.” – NME

with:
Marvelous Toy
Jacques Baraban
Travis TK Disko

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

Friday 05.14.10: USELESS KEYS / THE DELTA MIRROR / FULL FRONTAL / SLEEPY EYES OF DEATH

Useless Keys || Listen || Watch

L.A. four-piece guitar band Useless Keys do the soft-loud-soft thing that the Pixies and Nirvana perfected nearly two decades ago: Start slow and low to create tension, build it gradually, then cascade into a jumbo distorted surprise that turns drenched feedback into a thing of beauty. It’s a formula, yes, but in their hands, it’s one that retains some shock. The hooks are there, the meandering post-second-chorus weirdo bridges, the big finishes. “White noise and repetition,” they sing on “White Noise,” which is an apt description of their philosophy. If they’re a bit predictable — and they are — it doesn’t diminish the impact of their gorgeous melodies and truly impressive fury. – LA Weekly

with:

The Delta Mirror || Listen
Full Frontal
Sleepy Eyes of Death || Listen

8:30pm / $7 / 21+

Tuesday 04.27.10: Otik Records presents JACK WILSON JR / THE COMMOTIONS / DEATH HYMN / THE CALIFORNIAN

Jack Wilson Jr.

with:
The Commotions
Death Hymn Number 9
The Californian

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Sunday 04.25.10: THE MONOLATORS / ALLA LAS / ANCIENT CRUX / SEAN BONES

The Monolators || Listen || Watch

the Monolators attacked their opening set with a vicious, limb-flailed frenzy, with frontman Eli Chartkoff riding the nimble, marrow-smashing rhythms of bassist Ashley Jex and wife Mary Chartkoff like Nick Cave’s skinny younger brother, all throat-peeling howls and mad-preacher abandon, while guitarist Ray Gurrola sent off one spiky and nerve-tangled riff after another. When the band erupted with the melodic sneer of “Ruby, I’m Changing My Number,” complete with Eli running through the crowd, his wire-tangled mic stand dragging behind him like lashing metal tail, it was a shot of punkish bliss that cemented the Monolators’ status as one of L.A. indie’s most reliably anarchic and underrated acts. – Web In Front

with:
Allah Las
Ancient Crux
Sean Bones

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Friday 04.30.10: GROWING / ERIC COPELAND / BIPOLAR BEAR / CYBER GRIND

Growing || Listen || Watch || MP3

Seventh full-length from the label-hopping electronic/noise trio (their first for Vice) active since 1999, who added third member Sadie Laska (I.U.D.) prior to this release. Pumps was recorded at the Ocropolis, Oneida’s Brooklyn studio complex, over just a few days but was subject to an intensive mixing process, which saw many songs transformed from their studio iteration. The record strays further from the group’s drone and ambient roots into occassionaly dancey abstract noise as evidenced on “Hormone.” – Prefix

with:
Eric Copeland
Bipolar Bear
Cyber Grind

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

Saturday 04.17.10: BAD VEINS / CITY CENTER / THE HUNDRED DAYS / THE GLOBES

Bad Veins || Listen || Watch || Mp3

Bad Veins live show is a very interesting thing. The two person band from Cincinnati, Ohio manage to recreate the lush, orchestrated sound from their album on stage. Captivating and energetic, it’s hard to know who to look at as an audience member of a Bad Veins show as both drummer Sebastien Schultz and singer/guitarist Benjamin Davis demand your attention, albeit in very different ways. Schultz drums with the energy of at least three enthused punk drummers while Davis’s mannerisms imply that he truly does believe the words he’s singing as his guitar cuts and his voice remains lackadaisically seductive, no matter the amount of energy he seems to be expelling on stage. The fact that Bad Veins brand of sexy, hip indie pop is easy to digest and very appealing makes not only their just-released self titled debut a must to pick up but it also makes the Bad Veins fellows (and their reel to reel, lovingly named Irene, which produces all the wonderful sounds you hear that aren’t made by Benjamin and Sebastien) a worthwhile show to check out. – Radio Free Chicago

with:
City Center || Listen
The Hundred Days
The Globes

8:30pm / $7.00 / 21+

Tuesday 04.20.10: THE KISSAWAY TRAIL / PHILLIP ROEBUCK / CATE LE BON

The Kissaway Trail || Listen || Watch

Euphoric and evocative, listening to The Kissaway Trail is an intoxicating experience. The debut album released in 2007 was filled with songs of immense ambition and scope, the music soars, filled with majestic guitar lines, dramatic melodies and epic arrangements. The Kissaway Trail have that rare power to lift people out of their lives and transport them to a world of drama, beauty and wonder.

The Kissaway Trail list the likes of Sonic Youth, Grandaddy, Daniel Johnston, Pixies and The Beach Boys as being their main influences, though in their native Denmark, where they have recently taken off massively due to their incendiary live shows, the band have quickly developed a unique sound of their own. Forthcoming album ‘Sleep Mountain’ out March 1st 2010 is a remarkable return. Recorded in Denmark, the band then heard from Peter Katis, legendary producer of Interpol, The National, Twilight Sad, Tokyo Police Club who expressed a desire to work with the band. And just a month or so later, he was indeed mixing the album in his own Tarquin Studios in Connecticut. The result, well you’ll hear it soon enough, is spectacular.

with:
Phillip Roebuck || Listen
Cate Le Bon

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

Tuesday 04.06.10: LA FONT / KAZAI REX / LATIN MEDS / BLOK

LA Font || Mp3

Echo Park newcomers LA Font play a brand of antagonistic cowpunk anchored by the I-V thump of bassist Greg Katz — former Rawkblog contributor and an extremely talented musician/DJ/producer. But the center of attention on these songs is singer Danny “Ricky” Bobbe, a Montana transplant who, contrary to his band name, seems at odds with the Opening Ceremony-clad L.A. scene: “There were 8, 9, 10, 11 of them / dressed to be killed, like Princeton gentlemen / what was I to do?” Then again, that may be a dig at Vampire Weekend — but I imagine a group called LA Font cares plenty about Oxford commas. Anyway: they’re sneering, snotty, not quite Snooki. – Rawkblog

with:
Kazai rex
Latin Meds
Blok

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 04.04.10: MEMORY / FULL FRONTAL / FANGS

Memory

with:
Full Frontal
Fangs

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Thursday 04.29.10: DANTE VS ZOMBIES / WOAH HUNX / APES OF WRATH / TARANTULA

Dante vs. Zombies || Watch

With a girl in a pink cowboy style outfit, a drummer in scrubs with a sars mask, a singer in some glittery monk style robe with the hat Paul Revere wore, and the popular indie duo of male guitar wielding nerd with attractive girl on keys, it looked like a bad episode of Pee Wee’s playhouse sound checking at Spaceland on Saturday night. It wasn’t exactly what you would have expected to see on the night of a Harlem show, but every single detail definitely brought something to the experience.

Complete in costume, Dante Vs. Zombies opened with the night with their track, “Branded by Nuns,” a noisy collective collection of “wohs” and incredible distorted guitar licks and catchy to the point of foot taping until the guitars broke out with another “woh!” Their set continued with more over-driven guitar riffs reminiscent of the 50s garage sound that many musicians try to replicate but often fail. Even when the band stripped the sound down for their last song, “Oblivion,” they never stray away from that 50’s vibe. – Beatcrave

with:
Woah Hunx
Apes of Wrath
Tarantula

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Thursday 04.08.10: VEIL VEIL VANISH / SEASPIN / REPEATER / IN WAVES

Veil Veil Vanish

“Veil Veil Vanish is the darkest gem in the treasure chest of San Francisco’s indie scene. Their debut EP, Into a New Mausoleum, has been praised for it’s electric ambiance and a new LP is set for release in 2009″ – Noise Pop Music Festival

“The most creative guitarists on the planet, using pedals and gadgets to build sonic structures that could make Phil Spector cream.” – SF Weekly

with:
Seaspin || Listen
Repeater || Listen
In Waves || Listen

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Wednesday 04.28.10: Manimal Vinyl presents AQUASERGE / SISTER CRAYON / CORRIDOR / CASPER AND THE COOKIES

MANIMAL PRESENTS:

AQUASERGE

SISTER CRAYON

CORRIDOR

CASPER & THE COOKIES

An evening of chin-stroking party sounds as curated by Manimal Vinyl. France’s art-rocky quartet Aquaserge features members of Stereolab and makes a way curious wall of organized chaos. The band blends art-rock angularisms, dissonant horn sections, a mustachio’d Can-nish guitar god and deceptively sloppy chops veering into mathy noir-jazz and big-band surfin’ and spyin’ type stuff. They’re full of surprises, and the context is more the art-jazz-rock of early Soft Machine than “prog.” Sacramento’s Sister Crayon is vocalist Terra Lopez and a small host of synths, programs and drums treading that mildly Stereolabbish trippy ambient/hip-hop pop road. Sister Crayon’s music is deftly textured and harmonized, and rather literate, what with their tunes being inspired by Jean Genet and all; their Bellow album comes out on Manimal in late 2010. Corridor is multi-instrumentalist Michael Quinn’s chillingly beautiful head-dives into obscure psychic worlds via expertly orchestrated guitar, cello and sampler loops and digital effects. – LA Weekly

FIRST 15 PEOPLE GET A FREE LIMITED DESIGN MANIMAL T-SHIRT!!!

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Thursday 04.22.10: AWESOME COLOR / DUNES / HAIR POLICE

Awesome Color || Listen || Watch

Since their self titled debut album in 2006, Awesome Color band members Michael Troutman, Allison Busch, and Derek Stanton have been garnering praise for their punk laced Detroit rock music grit and step back riffs.

With comparisons to The Stooges already flying about from the 2006 debut record, Awesome Color set forth a moderate display of song writing growth with the 2008 follow up Electric Aborigines. Eyes of Light kicks off Electric Aborigines in all its raucous glory with Allison showing prowess behind the kit, Michael laying a bass line that makes you fully aware of your tapping feet, and Derek intertwining guitar riff and vocals as if they were one continuous instrument – one never taking attention from the other, vocals falling off just in time for an energizing closing solo. Awesome Color grab hold on that first track and give nothing back for the remainder of the album. – Examiner

with:
Dunes
Hair Police

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

Wednesday 04.21.10: BITCH / ANGIE EVANS

Bitch || Listen || Watch

Bitch’s way of splashing together arrangements as bright and chaotic as her stage outfits gives her act a great deal more warmth and musical versatility than most musicians who call themselves both radicals and singer-songwriters. Formerly a member of the duo Bitch And Animal (which put out three albums on Righteous Babe), Bitch wields electric violin and bass rather than the standard acoustic guitar, and pitches her voice somewhere between competent pop and free-rambling spoken-word. On Blasted, her second solo album, the oft-distorted fiddles and vocal outbursts have the run of the tracks, from the spirited bounce of “Open Up” to the reeling psych-punk of “Bugs.” Better still, Bitch’s abundant eccentricity just seems to come naturally, not as some forced dramatic gesture. – The AV Club

with:
Angie Evans || Listen

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

Saturday 04.10.10: City Of Devils presents SLOUGH FEG / BIBLE OF THE DEVIL / PROFESSOR / GREEN AND WOOD

Slough Feg || Listen

Seven albums in, and Slough Feg are still fighting. Not merely surviving, but thriving. Even as an entity ignored by many, they remain revered by a strong and vocal few–which is cool for everyone involved. Band and fans alike are relatively unconcerned with reformatting the Lord Weird’s worldview for purposes of mass appeal. Sure, it would be cool to see Slough Feg’s timeless wares elevated to a more widely celebrated status; a reward for the years of toil, turmoil, and triumph. If the broader metallic masses aren’t astute enough to knight these purest of warriors, though…fuck ‘em. Thankfully, the band has counterpunched such foolishness with the release of their best album in years. Bursting with an immediacy and poignance last seen on the stellar Traveller, Ape Uprising! is damn near everything a Slough Feg fan could ask for, almost to a fault. Rumbling out of the gate with an amusing (but far from gimmicky) take on traditional doom, the aptly/goofily titled “Hunchback of Notre Doom” primes the listener for a heavier, more grizzled Feg. Mainman Mike Scalzi’s vocals are as smoky and world-hardened as ever, adding another dimension to what is already arguably the most distinctive and infectious voice in contemporary metal. – Metalreview.com

with:
Bible of the devil
Professor
Green and Wood

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

Saturday 04.03.10: KENAN BELL (Album Release Show) / DOT HACKER / THE FAMILY ALBUM / WHITE ARROWS

Kenan Bell || Watch

You can think of Kenan Bell’s arrival as a shining star in the constellation of hip-hop as one of the slowest-developing coming-out parties ever. Bell grew up in the lily-white Los Angeles suburbs challenging stereotypes. He’d look askance at anybody who assumed because he was black and tall he played basketball. He’d smile knowingly at anybody who expected him to be more gangsta than skater. He’d fidget nervously, self-conscious about his high-pitched voice, when anybody presumed he should be a rapper. “I never wanted to be that guy, the one who plays to everybody’s expectations,” Bell says. “But I have started to realize who I am, that I have a deep love for hip-hop as an art form, that I need to do this.” “Picture a bookworm with a ghetto blaster,” he raps in his song “Sounds Awesome” — and if you can imagine that in a 6-foot-5, sunglasses-sporting, argyle socks-favoring package, you have one snapshot of who Kenan Antony Bell is. Now the 26-year-old, who has spent the past four years teaching spelling, vocabulary and handwriting to fourth- through sixth-graders, is ready to drop his own words on a hungry legion of hip-hop purists. Bell’s debut album “Until the Future” is hip-hop for people who know their Basquiat as well as their basketball, who are as liable to quote Langston Hughes as MC Hammer, who can party as hard to a soundtrack of Kool Moe Dee as the Offspring.

with:
Dot Hacker
Family Album
White Arrows

8:30pm / $10 / 21+

Friday 04.02.10: WEBB BROTHERS / SARA RADLE / MEREDITH MEYER / LETTING UP DESPITE GREAT FAULTS

Webb Brothers

The Webb Brothers are Christiaan, Justin and James Webb. The brothers released their Beyond The Biosphere EP on Warner Brothers Records in 1999, followed by the critically acclaimed Maroon, produced by Stephen Street (Blur, The Smiths) on Atlantic Records in 2000. A self-titled release, The Webb Brothers, produced by Dave Friddman (The Flaming Lips, Weezer) came out on Warners’ 679 Recordings in 2003. Their albums received widespread critical acclaim: Magnet magazine cited Maroon as one of the “lost classics” of the decade. Mojo gave it four stars, calling it “beautiful and heartbreaking,” while GQ deemed it “something of a minor masterpiece.” The record received five stars from The Guardian, who claimed that it was “more perfect than a debut has a right to be.” The Webb Brothers have toured extensively throughout the world, sharing bills with bands such as Doves, Franz Ferdinand, the Eels, Guided By Voices, Ben Kweller, The Black Keys, Ok Go, Modest Mouse, The Magic Numbers, Built To Spill, and The Darkness.

In 2009, The Webb Brothers teamed up with their father, songwriter Jimmy Webb, younger brother Cornelius Webb, and grandfather Bob Webb to form “Jimmy Webb & The Webb Brothers,” releasing the album “Cottonwood Farm” on Proper Records UK, and touring the UK in the fall. The Webb Brothers commenced work on a new album in January 2010.

with:
Sara Radle
Meredith Meyer || Listen
Letting up Despite Great Faults || Listen

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Wednesday 04.14.10: HOLLY GOLIGHTLY AND THE BROKEOFFS / THE HI-HOS / SHIRLEY ROLLS

Holly Golightly and the Broke-Offs || Listen || Watch

Holly Golightly and Lawyer Dave first met in the basement of a China Town smuggler’s den. Holly had need for an upright bass player to do a small U.S. tour and The Lawyer was the only one she could find. After a half hour run-through, they were off the next day. You might could say that this was the beginning of their collaboration as the idea of doing records together was first conceived on those long drives in the American West. After nearly ten years, seven-hundred-thousand miles, countless shows and other misadventures, the time finally came. In January of 2007 the two built a make-shift studio in the Southern English countryside to make the record they had talked so much about. With only 4 days to write, record and mix in, the pair couldn’t have neen be happier with the result. Supposed to be a low key release,”You Can’t Buy A Gun When You’re Crying” (Damaged Goods) quickly snowballed into a beautiful monster that scared up enough attention for the two to make an entire year’s touring out of it.

with:
The Hi-Hos
Shirley Rolls || Listen

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

Thursday 04.15.10: WILLOWZ / MINI MANSIONS / LIONIZE / THE DOUGH ROLLERS

Willowz || Listen || Watch

The latest album from the Anaheim band The Willowz has been in regular rotation on the Morning Show here at KEXP, and with good reason. Everyone is a solid, anthem-filled garage-rock full-length that always adds energy and attitude to the show. The group’s reputation as a tight live band made it an easy decision to bring The Willowz to the Cutting Room Studios when they were in New York City recently, touring with their friends in The Delta Spirit.

I’m not going to lie to you: What struck me right away was really their hair. They have some of the most fantastic hair on any band I’ve seen in a while. An argument could be made that a band like My Morning Jacket has better hair, but for my money, those Willowz mops win hands-down. The second thing that struck me was how generally soft-spoken and polite they were, and then, most importantly, how talented this band is live. From chord one, these guys ripped into each song like it was their last, and showed what all that time on the road has done for their live show. In fact, the engineers said it was one of the best-sounding shows they’d heard in any of our sessions.

While they were freewheeling and totally engaged in the exuberant energy of each song, the band members were also musical perfectionists when it came to every note and word that spilled out of the room that day. I’ll see that band any chance I get; here’s hoping we can get The Willowz in the studio again, if only to enjoy their company and their long, flowing locks. – NPR

with:
Mini Mansions
Lionize || Listen
The Dough Rollers

8:30pm / $8

Friday 04.16.10: MARK SULTAN / THE BLACK APPLES / DIRT DRESS / WOUNDED LION

Mark Sultan || Listen

MARK SULTAN is back. A long-time fixture in the garage-rock scene since fronting infamous Montreal punk band, The Spaceshits. Further projects like Les Sexareenos, BBQ, Mind Controls, The King Khan & BBQ Show and The Almighty Defenders helped spearhead the modern garage-rock and doo-wop movement. These days he is best known as the ‘BBQ’ half of The King Khan & BBQ Show or as a member of The Almighty Defenders. He often shirks recognition and credit but make no mistake, he is THE VOICE. A hitmaker. And it’s a pleasure to announce his second album under his given name, $. Mark has toured from North America through South America to Japan to Israel to Africa and back, supporting many records on labels like Fat Possum, Norton, Bomp!, Sub Pop, Vice and In The Red. He has toured with bands like Black Lips, King Khan & The Shrines and Clinic as well as opening for a list of bands that reads like a music fan’s dream. 2010′s new album $ on Last Gang Records will open ears and eyes to a name that is sometimes overlooked and to a voice and music that is sometimes not given the full credit it deserves . Wielding an arsenal of fantastic songs and performances with many projects, $ is his best work so far. Drawing from his usual influences, Mark has managed to forge an inventive and captivatingly original record. Doo-wop, R&B, punk, soul, garage-rock, psyche, country and even noise are blended into a seamless new sound that finds a place on the base of your spine and crawls its way up, slowly.

with:
The Black Apples
Dirt Dress
Wounded Lion

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

Friday 04.09.10: Passion of the Weiss presents KNUX / NOCANDO / 5 O’CLOCK SHADOWBOXERS / HOLLOYS

Knux || Watch || Mp3

Maybe only a city like New Orleans, home of Zydeco, bouillabaisse, gumbo and Creole, could produce a truly genre-less duo like The Knux.
Galvanized by the gloss and cocaine blitz of Los Angeles, their “Remind Me In Three Days” remains the one of the most innovative and interesting debuts of the last several years. Opting to eschew the blog hustle for the tangible grind, the Interscope-signed Knux have built a fan base the old-fashioned way: relentless touring and an undeniable live show. They don’t do mixtapes, don’t collaborate with whoever’s hot this hour, and though they’re signed to Interscope, they’ve received a tepid corporate push in contrast to the careful calculations of the Asher Roth’s of the world. Their latest “Fuck You” EP not only further refines their garage-hop aesthetic, but expands its boundaries. Obsessed with finding the ideal synthesis of the Wu-Tang and Juvenile fandom of their adolescence, with the Strokes, Beatles, and Blur worship of their adulthood, no matter what style they inhabit, the protean brothers from the N.O. display a rare versatility and preternatural skill at song-craft. – Passion of the Weiss

with:
Nocando || Mp3
5 O’Clock Shadowboxers || Mp3
Holloys || Listen || Mp3

FMI: Passion of The Weiss

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

Wednesday 04.07.10: Club NME with DEEP SEA DIVER / THE FLING / FOSTER THE PEOPLE

Deep Sea Diver || Watch

Deep Sea Diver first popped up a few years ago, back in 2004, quickly making in-roads into the California music scene with a selection of lo-fi, sparky pop before Jessica Dobson signed what she thought was the perfect deal with Atlantic Records. But then nothing. News was few and far between, fans waited patiently for updates that never came and the initial buzz that surrounded the talented musician slowly died down, until May 12th 2008. Coincidentally also her birthday, Jessica’s music career exploded in seconds at the sound of a phone call. After applying to become Beck’s new live guitarist, Jessica held little real hope of being selected but a few months down the line and she was side-by-side with the music legend, playing the Hollywood Bowl, and furthermore, released by Atlantic to regain her freedom. With fantastic performances on the vast Beck tour, Jessica drew a great deal of praise herself, and interest in Deep Sea Diver again started to pick up. With a few new tracks to join some of her best from the last few years of writing and recording, and a sound now somewhere between Mystery Jets, Emily Haines And The Soft Skeleton and Cold War Kids, Deep Sea Diver’s long overdue first proper release is at last a reality. Finished with the Beck tour for now, Deep Sea Diver are eagerly readying their ‘New Caves’ EP and at last put a finished product in the hands of an ever-increasing fan base. Calling on friends from Cold War Kids, plus Marika and Two Guns, March 5th is a big day for Jessica and Deep Sea Diver, with the stage set for them to play The Art Theatre in hometown Long Beach, a record release show for their ‘New Caves’ EP. – Fan The Fire Magazine

with:
The Fling
Foster The People

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Sunday 04.18.10: HELL YA! NIGHT with PARADE OF LIGHTS / BROTHERS AT SEA / DAVE SMALLEN

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:
Brothers At Sea
Dave Smallen || Listen

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Friday 04.23.10: THE FUXEDOS / THE ART OF BLEEDING / OSO / THE BLASTING COMPANY

The Fuxedos || Listen || Watch

THE FUXEDOS are America’s favorite apocalyptic comedy-lounge-punk-jazz-storytelling-cinematic-what-the-hell?-art rock band, complete with costumes, props, and bizarrely humorous theatrics.

Members’ touring credits include such bands and acts as Les Claypool, Stolen Babies, Faun Fables, Coheed & Cambria, Idiot Flesh, and Cirque du Soleil. They’ve also individually recorded or performed with everyone from Erykah Badu to Eric Clapton and from the Silversun Pickups to The Game, and have appeared not only on the “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band” game series, but also on Hans Zimmer’s score to “The Dark Knight.”

“The Fuxedos are one of the most amazing, entertaining, enthralling, unique, hilarious and inspirational bands I have ever seen…[vocalist] Danny was a musical maniac onstage, donning masks, using crazy props, dancing up an astounding storm, singing dynamically, stomping, prancing, being riotously funny and crazed and mindblowing.”
– Paul Zollo, Sr. Editor, “American Songwriter” magazine; author, “Conversations with Tom Petty” and “Songwriters on Songwriting”

with:
The Art Of Bleeding
Oso
The Blasting Company || Listen

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

Sunday 04.11.10: NEIL HAMBURGER / JON DALY / CHRIS GARCIA

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:
Jon Daly
Chris Garcia

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Monday 04.26.10: Monday Night residency – HELEN STELLAR / REPEATER / ROBOTANISTS / FICTIONIST

Helen Stellar || Watch

A few years ago fuzzy, dreamy shoegaze was the genre that seemed to be proliferating in LA clubs, particularly on the Eastside. There were a few standout bands including Gliss, a trio that made great strides while touring Europe, and Helen Stellar, who had a very influential fan – Cameron Crowe. Cameron put their song “io (This Time Around)” on the Elizabethtown soundtrack and then released their full length record, “A Prayer to Myself,” through his Vinyl Records label.

But this is skipping ahead… Helen Stellar first arrived in LA with one purpose – to play on Morning Becomes Eclectic. Nic Harcourt was spinning some of their songs and the Chicago-based band headed here to appear on the big show. Then, as they planned to head home, their transportation broke down. Before they knew it, they were settling into LA. After touring in support of their debut CD, they took a few years off and some of us wondered if it was for good. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, at the end of last year they bounced back with a new guitarist and a new album in tow. Their follow up does not disappoint and below is a preview. The album is called “If The Stars Could Speak, They Would Have Your Voice.” – KCRW

with:
Repeater || Listen
Robotanists || Listen
Fictionist || Listen

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 04.19.10: Monday Night Residency – HELEN STELLAR / TWILIGHT SLEEP / MEETING PLACES / SECRET ALPHABET

Helen Stellar || Watch

A few years ago fuzzy, dreamy shoegaze was the genre that seemed to be proliferating in LA clubs, particularly on the Eastside. There were a few standout bands including Gliss, a trio that made great strides while touring Europe, and Helen Stellar, who had a very influential fan – Cameron Crowe. Cameron put their song “io (This Time Around)” on the Elizabethtown soundtrack and then released their full length record, “A Prayer to Myself,” through his Vinyl Records label.

But this is skipping ahead… Helen Stellar first arrived in LA with one purpose – to play on Morning Becomes Eclectic. Nic Harcourt was spinning some of their songs and the Chicago-based band headed here to appear on the big show. Then, as they planned to head home, their transportation broke down. Before they knew it, they were settling into LA. After touring in support of their debut CD, they took a few years off and some of us wondered if it was for good. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, at the end of last year they bounced back with a new guitarist and a new album in tow. Their follow up does not disappoint and below is a preview. The album is called “If The Stars Could Speak, They Would Have Your Voice.” – KCRW

With:
Twilight Sleep
The Meeting Places || Listen
Secret Alphabet || Listen

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 04.12.10: Monday Night Residency – HELEN STELLAR / THE POSTELLES / THE CONSTELLATIONS / HEALAMONSTER AND TARSIER

Helen Stellar || Watch

A few years ago fuzzy, dreamy shoegaze was the genre that seemed to be proliferating in LA clubs, particularly on the Eastside. There were a few standout bands including Gliss, a trio that made great strides while touring Europe, and Helen Stellar, who had a very influential fan – Cameron Crowe. Cameron put their song “io (This Time Around)” on the Elizabethtown soundtrack and then released their full length record, “A Prayer to Myself,” through his Vinyl Records label.

But this is skipping ahead… Helen Stellar first arrived in LA with one purpose – to play on Morning Becomes Eclectic. Nic Harcourt was spinning some of their songs and the Chicago-based band headed here to appear on the big show. Then, as they planned to head home, their transportation broke down. Before they knew it, they were settling into LA. After touring in support of their debut CD, they took a few years off and some of us wondered if it was for good. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, at the end of last year they bounced back with a new guitarist and a new album in tow. Their follow up does not disappoint and below is a preview. The album is called “If The Stars Could Speak, They Would Have Your Voice.” – KCRW

with:
The Postelles || Listen
The Constellations
Healamonster and Tarsier

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 04.05.10: Monday Night Residency – HELEN STELLAR / MERE MORTALS / LUNA VISTA / HEXHAM HEADS

Helen Stellar || Watch

A few years ago fuzzy, dreamy shoegaze was the genre that seemed to be proliferating in LA clubs, particularly on the Eastside. There were a few standout bands including Gliss, a trio that made great strides while touring Europe, and Helen Stellar, who had a very influential fan – Cameron Crowe. Cameron put their song “io (This Time Around)” on the Elizabethtown soundtrack and then released their full length record, “A Prayer to Myself,” through his Vinyl Records label.

But this is skipping ahead… Helen Stellar first arrived in LA with one purpose – to play on Morning Becomes Eclectic. Nic Harcourt was spinning some of their songs and the Chicago-based band headed here to appear on the big show. Then, as they planned to head home, their transportation broke down. Before they knew it, they were settling into LA. After touring in support of their debut CD, they took a few years off and some of us wondered if it was for good. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, at the end of last year they bounced back with a new guitarist and a new album in tow. Their follow up does not disappoint and below is a preview. The album is called “If The Stars Could Speak, They Would Have Your Voice.” – KCRW

with:
Mere Mortals || Watch
Luna Vista || Listen
Hexham Heads || Listen

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Thursday 04.01.10: City OF Devils presents RADIO MOSCOW / ASSEMBLE HEAD IN SUNBURST SOUND / NAAM

Radio Moscow || Listen || Watch

When we first discovered Radio Moscow, we were all immediately floored by the guitar playing of Parker Griggs. For those unfamiliar with the story, Parker went to a Black Keys show and handed a demo to Dan Auerbach. Auerbach loved it and subsequently produced the Radio Moscow debut.

While their eponymous debut is excellent (#29 in the HearYa top 50 of 2007), it has a rough feel to it. Parker played most of the parts on the album himself and it came across as a one man project. In contrast, on Brain Cycles, Radio Moscow is a much more cohesive band. After listening to the album a few times, there are three things that really make this a more complete and balanced effort:

1. Parker’s vocals. On the first album, the vocals sometimes seemed as if they were just filling room between blistering guitar solos. Griggs is a guitar prodigy so it works, but on Brain Cycles, Parker is more confident as a front man and has some swagger.
2. The rhythm section is staggering. They move in lockstep with Parker while pulling off some of their own crazy shit. As I mentioned in my SXSW recap, Zach Anderson on bass has made tremendous strides and is every bit the equal to Parker.
3. On the debut, the songwriting was about showcasing Parker’s guitar work, which was fine by me. But Brain Cycles shows a more mature effort in his songwriting.

A couple of my favorites include “Broke Down” that has a Sabbath inspired riff and “No Good Woman,” complete with 90 second drum solo by Parker (it actually kind of works).

Radio Moscow is growing up, but they don’t abandon their blues-psychedelic sound that is sure to fuel bong circles in smoky dorm rooms all over college campuses. – HearYa

with:
Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound
Naam || Listen

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

Saturday 04.24.10: SHEARWATER / WYE OAK / HOSPITAL SHIPS

Shearwater || Listen || MP3

Shearwater continue to explore the beauty, menace, and fragility of the natural world and that increasingly rare species, the indivisible album on The Golden Archipelago, the band’s most absorbing and accomplished work to date. The new record is the third panel of a triptych that includes 2006′s enigmatic Palo Santo and 2008′s acclaimed Rook, albums linked by themes of environmental and personal decay and humans’ impact on nature. In The Golden Archipelago, Shearwater turn to a portrait of life on islands a world of alternating lushness and austerity, numinous silences and sudden cataclysms, and the strange flowerings of plant, animal, and human life that only arise in isolation. These are intimate subjects for songwriter Jonathan Meiburg. As a researcher, he’s camped on islands at the edges of the world, including the Falklands, Tierra del Fuego, the Galapagos, Madagascar, Nunavut, and New Zealand’s Chatham Islands, and once spent a few surreal months in a remote Aboriginal settlement in northern Australia. Adding his grandfather’s WWII experiences as a radio operator in the South Pacific to these travels gave Meiburg plenty of fodder for the songs of The Golden Archipelago, in which he weaves these times and places together with common feelings of wonder, grief, and defiance.

with:
Wye Oak || Listen
Hospital Ships

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

Tuesday 04.13.10: RETRIBUTION GOSPEL CHOIR / PEASANT / STEVENSON RANCH DAVIDIANS

Retribution Gospel Choir || Listen || Mp3

In recent years, slowcore pioneers Low have forcefully shaken their defining somberness and dabbled in what actually might be called rock. So it wasn’t a total shock in 2008 when singer-guitarist Alan Sparhawk formed Retribution Gospel Choir — essentially Low minus angel-voiced wife/drummer Mimi Parker — to canoodle with more classic sounds. What’s more surprising is how naturally he’s made the shift. The band’s second album gets a bit hackneyed at times (bar-rockin’ trifle “White Wolf”), but Sparhawk generally seems re-energized, channeling Crazy Horse (“Poor Man’s Daughter”) and crafting the sort of genuinely rousing chorus (“Hide It Away”) that Low never would’ve indulged. – Spin

with:
Peasant
Stevenson Ranch Davidians || Listen

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