Live Music Options: 3/29/10 - 4/4/10

McCartney Plays Two Sold Out Shows at the Bowl

Last week was an absolute feast while this week is a little bit of a famine. Spaceland should be hopping tonight with a free show from Warpaint and Dot Hacker. The Bowl will be nuts on Tuesday and Wednesday with McCartney. Division Day comes out of hibernation with a Thursday night Onion-sponsored show.

Here's what I managed to catch last week:

On Wednesday I made it out to the bootleg for Admiral Radley (I'm a big Grandaddy and Earlimart fan and it totally met my expectations) and Henry Clay People (fun to see them play with old bass player Noah while newer bass player Jonathan was on vacation).

On Friday I saw the Radar Brothers' record release show at Spaceland. The new lineup is fun: Dan Iead shredded on a couple of songs, Brian Cleary got some front and center attention on keyboards on a couple of tracks and the rhythm section was tight. It was my first time seeing Extra, and I enjoyed the Big Star/Cheap Trick influences.

On Saturday I was busy for most of the day but got over to the Echoplex in time to see Surfer Blood. They've got a bright future and tons of crossover appeal. Like early Weezer mixed with the Shins. Catchy as hell.

Monday March 29, 2010
[Pick of the Night] Moonrats / Dot Hacker / Warpaint @ Spaceland (Free) – The last night of Moonrats’ residency. Warpaint got a lot of great buzz out of SXSW. Dot Hacker is Josh Klinghoffer’s (Red Hot Chili Peppers) band.
[Recommended] The Delta Mirror / Voices Voices / Spirit Vine / Borneo @ The Echo (Free) – Pitchfork recently gave the Delta Mirror an 8 out of 10 for their track “He Was Worse Than the Needle He Gave You.”
Seaspin / Square on Square / Model Actress / Cue the Moon @ Silverlake Lounge (Free)
Blaine Campbell / Ruthann Friedman / Pinche Gringo / Mariana Janik @ Echo Curio
Black Eyed Peas @ Staples Center (Sold Out)
Trudgers / Kevin Greenspon / Luna Is Honey / NaNa & the Happy Cats @ Pehrspace
Marina V @ Hotel Café

Tuesday March 30, 2010
[Pick of the Week] Paul McCartney @ Hollywood Bowl (Sold Out) – Check out the set list from Sunday night in Arizona…
[Recommended] Buddy / Northstar Session / My Cousin, The Emperor / Josh Norton / Tim Williams @ Hotel Café
Field Music @ Amoeba Music (Free) – 7:00 PM show
Melissa Auf der Maur @ Viper Room ($12) – The former bassist for Hole
Chuck Ragan / Jonah Matranga / Your Favorite Trainwreck / Moneybrother / Gentleman @ Troubadour ($18)
Bitterent / Cyan Ides / The Return of Walter Gross / Drowning Swans @ Echo Curio
Black Eyed Peas@ Staples Center (Sold Out)
Hugh Cornwell / Kristeen Young @ Spaceland ($14)
Brad Mehldau @ Largo ($40)
Hi Ho Silver Oh / Woolen / One Silver Astronaut @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
The Neurotics / Stab City @ Redwood Bar
Dirty Beaches / Jeans Wilder / Speculator and Eel Eater @ Synchronicity

Wednesday March 31, 2010
[Pick of the Night] Paul McCartney @ Hollywood Bowl (Sold Out) – Check out the set list from Sunday night in Arizona…
Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt / The Polish Ambassador / The Shakes / Jesse Cooper @ The Echo ($10)
Zola Jesus / Tearist / Zombelle @ Echo Curio
Neal Schon @ House of Blues Sunset ($28)
Brook White @ Hotel Café – Former American Idol contestant
Sarah Silverman @ Largo ($25)
Bad Religion / The Adolescents @ House of Blues Anaheim
Low End Theory: Free the Robots / Mimosa / Epcot @ Airliner ($10)
Megadeth / Testament / Exodus @ Hollywood Palladium (Sold Out)
Mini Mansions / Links / The Silent Comedy / Doll & the Kicks @ Bootleg ($10)
Joanna and the Dusty Floor / The Tails / The Eternal Triangle @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Whale Fall / Rocket / Cthulhus @ Bordello ($8)
Chris Corsano and Peter Kolovos Duo / Evangelista / Lucky Dragons / ASKA @ The Smell ($5)
Rubber O Cement / James Twig Harper / Damien Romoero / Pulsating Cyst and Ebony @ Synchronicity

Thursday April 1, 2010
[Pick of the Night] The Onion Present – Our Dumb Book Event: Division Day / Tom Lennon & Ben Garant / Megan Ganz @ Echoplex ($10) – First Division Day show in a while…
We Are the World / Sir Heffington’s Fingered @ The Echo ($8)
Radio Moscow / Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound / Naam @ Spaceland ($10)
Justin Nokuza / HoneyHoney @ Hotel Café
Chris Corsano / Warm Climate @ Echo Curio
Viza / Native June @ Troubadour ($12)
Sour Mash Hug Band / Messes @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Astronautalis / Octavius @ Bootleg
Dante vs. Zombies / Stabbings / Beggars / Crystelles @ Redwood Bar
Bad Religion / Jugg’s Revenge @ House of Blues Anaheim
Puddle o f Mudd @ Grove of Anaheim

Friday April 2, 2010
[Pick of the Night] Les Blanks / Marvelous Toy @ Casey’s Downtown [613 South Grand] (Free) – Les Blanks is doing a Friday night residency in April.
[Recommended] Ole Californio / I See Hawks in LA @ Redwood Bar
[Recommended] Webb Brothers / Sara Radle / Meredith Meyer / Letting Up Despite Great Faults @ Spaceland ($8) – The sons of Jimmy Webb.
Gram Rabbit / Andy Clockwise / Crooked Cowboy and the Freshwater Indians / The Californian @ Echoplex ($12) – The buzz on the new Gram Rabbit record has been good.
Breakestra / Fitz & the Tantrums @ Natural History Museum ($15)
The Wedding Present / Ringo Deathstarr @ Troubadour ($18)
Fangs / Full Frontal / Protect Me @ L’Keg Gallery
Captain Ahab / tik///tik / Books on Tape Family Band / Libynth @ The Smell
Laura Gibson / Ethan Rose / Novi Split / Daniel Ahearn / CMG and the Light @ Echo Curio
Bad Religion / Agent Orange @ House of Blues Anaheim
The Dan Band @ Club Nokia ($20 - $30)
Alkaline Trio @ House of Blues Sunset ($20.50)
Sean Hayes @ Largo ($25)
Torches in Trees / Sweater Girls / Tremellow @ The Echo ($8)
Moon Kana / DJ Sisen @ Bootleg ($18)

Saturday April 3, 2010
[Pick of the Night] Kenan Bell / Dot Hacker / Family Album / White Arrows @ Spaceland ($10) – Nice eclectic lineup. From hip-hop to experimental.
Bell Gardens / Nudge @ Bootleg ($10)
Bad Religion/ Lightnin’ Woodcock / Miss Derringer @ House of Blues Sunset
The Thrilling Adventure Hour @ Largo ($25)
Michelle Shocked @ McCabe’s ($22.50)
Mikki and the Mauses / Haunted Tiger / Hellomynameischad / Swordfights @ Pehrspace
The Lyon Crowns / Angela Peterson / Harris Grade / Adam 812 / Legal Tender @ Troubadour ($12)
Kevin & Bean April Foolishness: Jimmy Kimmel / Jay Mohr / Joe Rogan / Sarah Silverman / Aziz Ansari / Jeffrey Ross @ Gibson Amphitheatre ($30 - $100)
JR Richards / Kelly Dalton @ Hotel Café
The Fab Four @ Grove of Anaheim

Sunday April 4, 2010
[Pick of the Night] Kasey Anderson / Travel By Sea / Horse Stories @ Bootleg ($8) – Americana night
Non / Cult of Youth @ The Echo ($10)
Dave Alvin & Tom Russell @ McCabe’s (Sold Out)

Updates on Local Bands

I haven't done one of these in a long time. Here's an update on local bands:

Division Day just announced a slew of new tour dates. Their new album, Visitation, comes out on Dangerbird on 8/18/09. It’s going to catch you off guard (in a very good way). Check out their Myspace page for some streams and tour dates. Buy tickets for their September 2nd show at Spaceland HERE. Go to their label site to download a free remix.

Speaking of Dangerbird, Sea Wolf have completed their sophomore album. White Water, White Bloom is set to be released on September 22nd. Pre-order the record and see a slew of tour dates HERE. Buy tickets for their Sept. 17th show at the Troubadour HERE. Looks like the previously announced Spaceland show has been replaced.

Lou Barlow’s got a new solo record, Goodnight Unknown, coming out on October 6th through Merge Records. In addition to playing with Dinosaur Jr., he’ll be the opener too. Check out the tour dates HERE. Buy tickets for the November 5th show at the House of Blues HERE. Download the first MP3: “Gravitate”

Warpaint recently signed with Manimal Vinyl with Exquisite Corpse set to be released on September 22, 2009. Download two MP3: Billie Holiday (Pitchfork gave the track a 7 out of 10)and MP3: Elephants. Josh Klinghoffer is now an official member of the band. You can catch them at Sunset Junction on August 22nd.

Speaking of Sunset Junction, the performance schedule is HERE. Other local bands on the bill are: Gran Ronde, Miss Derringer, War Tapes, Rumspringa, Nico Vega, The Submarines, Love Grenades, Nico Stai, Local Natives, Fool’s Gold, Night Horse and Mika Miko (or Mica Miko – as the SJ website spells it).

Miss Derringer have a new record, Winter Hill, out on Triple X. Pitchfork recently gave it a solid 7.7 out of 10.

Night Horse have three split 7” singles coming out this summer on Tee Pee Records (the first one is already out and the next one comes out 8/4/09). Download MP3: Choose Your Side

Fool’s Gold recently signed with IAMSOUND. Their debut, self-titled record comes out on September 29th. Download MP3: Surprise Hotel (Pitchfork recently gave it an 8 out of 10).

Luke Top, Fool’s Gold’s frontman, recently released a solo record. Friends came out via Slow Death Records. Download MP3: Friends

Members of Foreign Born are also a part of Fool’s Gold. Foreign Born’s new record, Person to Person, continues to get good reviews. It currently rates a 70 on Metacritic. MP3: Vacationing People and MP3: Early Warnings

Labelmates of Foreign Born (Secretly Canadian’s got a great roster), Music Go Music will release their debut full-length, Expressions, on October 6th. Download MP3: Warm In the Shadows

Bedmates of Foreign Born (at least a bedmate of the lead singer), Glasser also got a track review from Pitchfork. “Glad” received a 7 out of 10.

Princeton’s debut full-length, Cocoon of Love, comes out September 29th on Kanine Records. They’ll be opening a slew of shows for Ra Ra Riot to coincide with the release. Follow this link to Pitchfork to download the first single, “Calypso Gold”

Speaking of Pitchfork (as I have like 10 ten times in this roundup), they recently reviewed the new Fol Chen record. Read that HERE. Spin Magazine recently put together a Prince covers record for its subscribers. Fol Chen and Lavender Diamond were featured. Fol Chen is headed to Europe for a September tour. See the dates HERE.

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros are also touring Europe in support of their debut album, Up From Below. See the dates on their Myspace page. Download MP3: 40 Day Dream (Pitchfork gave the track a 6 out of 10)

Rainbow Arabia released some new music, Kabukimono, yesterday through Manimal Vinyl. Download MP3: Harlem Sunrise

And last, but not least, Aaron and Nikki from Amnion will be appearing on Penn & Teller: Bullshit! this weekend on Showtime. Those two are so nice and positive, they don’t deserve the mean-spiritedness of the show, but they’ve got a great attitude about it. Watch a clip HERE.

I’m sure I’m forgetting a million bands, sorry everybody……..

Ticket Giveaway - Division Day @ Spaceland Friday

I've got two pairs of tickets to give away for the Division Day show at Spaceland on Friday. They will be supported by Philly's the A-sides and Santa Barbara's the Coral Sea. If you're planning on attending South by Southwest, you have multiples chances to see them. They're playing the KCRW showcase next Wednesday, the Donewaiting party earlier in the day, Spaceland's party next Thursday and the fantastic Waterloo Records next Friday. Also, check out their channel on Youtube.

To win a pair of tickets, email me [dukeufo at hotmail] and tell me your favorite Elliott Smith song. The contest closes Thursday at 4:00 PM.

Ryan (Division Day) Wilson's Best of 2007

This is probably the last guest list of the year. Today's guest is Ryan Wilson, the guitarist in Division Day. Ryan reminded me that I still need to hear that Tandemoro record.

Ryan Wilson's top 10 albums that made 2007 a cool year to be alive and hearing music.

1. Tandemoro: The Movers & The Shakers (Self Released) - Hard to believe most of LA slept on this release, because it's easily some of the best pop songwriting this side of the mississippi - no wait, make that the atlantic ocean.

2. The (Le) Switch:Hello Today (Self Released) - A tantalizing taste of what we've all got to look forward to when their full length record comes out. ohyeah.

3. Chromeo: Fancy Footwork (Vice) - These guys rule.

4. Roky Erickson: You're Gonna Miss Me Soundtrack (Palm) - "For You (I'd Do Anything)" is one of the most moving songs I've ever heard by one of the most talented dudes alive. Track down the 1990 compilation "Where The Pyramid Meets The Eye" for some covers of Roky's tunes by the likes of The Mighty Lemon Drops, JAMC, Primal Scream, Bongwater, and the Butthole Surfers.

5. Earlimart: Mentor Tormentor (Major Domo/Shout Factory) This is my favorite Earlimart record yet. "Don't Think About Me" is perfect pop melancholia.

6. Tigers Can Bite You: Tigers Can Bite You (Self Released) - Finally I don't have to park myself on their myspace page to listen to "Rough Stuff". Tigers Can Bite You: now on a conveniently portable shiny circle.

7. The Mae Shi: HLLLYH (Team Shi) - I don't know if this counts, since it's technically not out here yet (?), but whatever. These guys rule.

8. Black Moth Super Rainbow: Dandelion Gum (Graveface) - Yum.

Download "Sun Lips"

9. Various Artists: Soul Sides, Vol. 2 - The Covers (Zealous) - An amazing compilation by Oliver Wang. Highlights are Esther Phillips' take on Gil Scott-Heron's "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" and Antibalas' re-do of Willie Colon's "Che Che Cole."

10. Kid Sister: Control EP (Fool's Gold) - Undeniable. "Control" was probably my jam of the year. Watch out, 2008.

Wildcard: Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blue - A beautiful album and one of my all-time faves. This one got a lot of spins in 2007.

Guilty Pleasure Track: T-Pain - "Bartender"

Sea Level Going Away Party Tonight

I hope to see everybody at Safari Sam's tonight for the Sea Level Records wake. Todd and Sylvia will be DJ'ing along with Magic Marcos and Kevin Bronson. A lot of the bands that Sea Level Records has supported over the past five and a half years should be in attendance. The music will start on the early side, so be sure to get there by nine to see the Switch followed by Division Day. The show is all ages, so everybody's welcome. Hopefully a lot of the younger kids who don't get a chance to see Division Day and the Switch very often will be there. Stick around after the bands for drinks and DJs.

Download some older Division Day songs: "Bad Black Moon" and "There Is No Telling"

Download The Switch's "Tongue Tied" and "Living in Another World" [these are pop-up downloads so you have to click on the title]

Division Day Sign to Eenie Meenie

Division Day recently signed to locally based, Eenie Meenie Records. Their debut full-length will be re-released in September. The guys are currently recording new material. In addition to the Sea Level Going Away Party that we're presenting at Safari Sam's on the 22nd, you can catch them opening for the Fratellis at the Avalon on June 16th.

Download "Lights Out"

I took these photos at their most recent Spaceland show. You can see a few more on my Flickr account - http://www.flickr.com/photos/dukeufo/

Thursday Night Music Options 5/24/07

Tonight's Pick:
Division Day / The Western States Motel / The Mae Shi @ Spaceland ($8) – This is where I’ll be. Division Day play high energy, indie rock. Download “Tigers” and “Tap-Tap, Click-Click”

Also Appearing:
The Clientele / Beach House @ Knitting Factory ($14) – Do you like to be rocked to sleep? If so, this is your kind of party. The Clientele make pretty albums and play really mellow shows. Last time I saw them I hit my breaking point and had to leave. Beach House got a lot of blog attention last year, drawing frequent comparisons to Mazzy Star.
Club Tribute Presents the music of the Doors @ Safari Sam’s
The Valley Arena / Wallpaper @ Silverlake Lounge ($7) – This show’s presented by the Rock Insider. Go there for some MP3s and more information.
Russian Chanson featuring DeVotchKa @ Walt Disney Concert Hall ($30-38)
The Murdocks @ Knitting Factory Front Stage
Under the Influence of Giants / Young Love @ El Rey ($15)
Hell Ya! Night @ the Echo