Friday the 13th Live Music Options

Tonight's Pick:

Kelley Stoltz / The Essex Green @ Spaceland ($10) – Kelley Stoltz’s Below the Branches was my album of the year last year. He’s heavily influenced by solo Beatles, and Beach Boys, and 1970s-era Kinks and he’s just so damn good at it. If you like very well crafted pop songs, do yourself a favor and see him tonight. I’ve seen him twice before and he sounded good both times. The uber-snotty critics like Pitchfork and Stylus always pan guys like Stoltz and Dr. Dog. Clearly they’re enemies of great pop music. Download “Memory Collector” and “The Sun Comes Through” The Essex Green are an indie band that gets compared to Left Banke and Fairport Convention. What I’ve heard sounds good. They’re on Merge.

Also recommended:

Ted Leo / Love of Diagrams @ El Rey ($14) – I went to this show last night. Ted Leo’s band was tight and they sounded good.

The One AM Radio @ Tangier ($12) – Mellow singer-songwriter who just put out an album on Dangerbird.

Peter and the Wolf / Luke Paquin @ Perh Space ($5 donation) – The Rock Insider’s putting this show on. Peter and the Wolf’s another mellow singer-songwriter who is adored by the Gorilla vs. Bear blog and the Rock Insider too. Luke Paquin’s the guitarist from Hot Hot Heat.

Maybe you prefer.....

The Mother Hips / The Parson Red Heads @ the Roxy ($15) – The Mother Hips have a pretty hardcore fanbase. They play the laid back California soul.
Hella / Veer Right Young Pastor @ the Echo ($12) – Hella are masters of the genre I call headache rock. I saw them recently and the novelty of watching insane drummer Zach Hill wore off after a few tracks and the headache set in.
Acid Mother’s Temple @ Troubadour ($15) – Crazy Japanese hippies.
Mia Doi Todd / Fishtank Ensemble @ El Cid ($8)