Anybody make it to Sunset Junction this weekend? Any highlights? I did make it to Elvis Costello last week. I read a glowing review in the LA Times, but I agreed with my concert companion when he said "This is more soulless than Disney's Country Bear Jamboree." In addition to wrecking others' classics, he even wrecked some of his own.
This is a pretty fantastic week to be a music fan in LA. The only problem is all the conflicts - Wednesday through Saturday are packed to the gills.
Monday 8/24/09[Pick of the Night]
Local Natives /
The Parson Red Heads /
Flying Tourbillon Orchestra /
Red Arrow Messenger @ Spaceland (Free) – The Local Natives’ popular residency continues. This is my favorite lineup of the month.
[Recommended]
Six Organs of Admittance / Horse Thieves @ The Echo ($10)
Steely Dan perform Royal Scam @ Gibson Amphitheatre ($65 - $275) – Not their best record.
Friendly Fires / Phenomenal Handclap Band @ El Rey (Sold Out)
Lower Heaven /
Magic Mirror /
Chief Nowhere /
Crooked Cowboy @ Silverlake Lounge (Free)
Mariee Sioux / Graham Forrest / Paige Stark / Dearest @ Echo Curio
Marry Lynn Rajskub / Tig @ Largo ($20)
Smokey Robinson @ Grammy Museum (Sold Out)
The Villains @ The Roxy ($11.50)
Tuesday 8/25/09[Pick of the Night]
The Dead Weather /
Tyvek @ the Wiltern (Sold Out) – The Dead Weather record’s just OK, but they’re probably more fun to see live.
[Recommended]
Steely Dan perform requests from the internet @ Gibson Amphitheatre ($65 - $275)
[Recommended]
John Vanderslice @ Origami (Free) – 7:00 PM
Michel Gondry and Friends @ Amoeba (Free) – 7:00 PM
Mellowdrone / White Arrows / Square on Square @ Spaceland ($8)
Green Day /
Franz Ferdinand @ The Forum ($25 - $50)
Tom Jones @ Greek Theatre ($30 - $100)
Lovemakers @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Marilyn Manson / September Mourning @ Fox Theater in Pomona ($57 - $70)
Lee “Scratch” Perry @ Key Club ($25)
The Shys / Army Navy / Eastern Conference Champions @ Troubadour ($10)
Placido Domingo / Yo-Yo Ma @ Hollywood Bowl ($1 - $96)
James Mishka / Chaz Prymek @ Echo Curio
Fred Armisen @ Largo ($20)
Lady Danville / The Jane Does @ Hotel Cafe
The Phenomenal Handclap Band @ Cinespace
Wednesday 8/26/09[Pick of the Night] Club NME:
Fruit Bats /
Death Vessel /
AB & the Sea @ Spaceland ($15) – Eric Johnson embraced his inner hippie on the new Fruit Bats’ record. It’s more inspired by Neil Young and The Band than the previous records. I’ve got some tickets to give away for this show too.
[Recommended]
Dungen /
Woods /
Kurt Vile @ Troubadour ($15) – I’m a big Dungen fan. They’ve been really good two out of the three times I’ve seen them.
[Recommended]
John Vanderslice@ Vacation (Free) – 7:00 PM
[Recommended]
The Dead Weather @ Third Man Records aka The Regent Theatre (Free) - Show starts at Noon
[Recommended]
The Dead Weather /
Tyvek @ the Mayan (Sold Out) - Lots of local appearances
Music Go Music /
Rainbow Arabia / Tommy Santee Klaws @ Bordello ($8) – Music Go Music is a case where I like the side project better than the primary project. They’ve assembled a really strong live band too.
Cake @ The Fonda (Sold Out)
Deerhunter /
Blank Blue @ Center for the Arts in Eagle Rock ($20) – I’m sure there are a lot of Bradford Cox fans out there.
M.I.A. / Blaqstarr / Pase Rock @ Undisclosed Downtown Location ($27) - Tickets go on sale Tuesday at 1:00 PM at Turntable Lab on Fairfax
Wolfmother @ the Roxy (Free w/ RSVP through their Myspace)
Dawes / Michael Davis with Lions / Andrew Lynch @ The Echo (Free)
Chris Isaak / Susan Tedeschi @ Greek Theatre ($40 - $100)
On Blast / Two Years Before the Mast @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Dizzy Gillespie All Star Band @ Hollywood Bowl ($1 - $96)
Soggy Duchamp Octet / Name of the Moon @ Echo Curio
Anya Marina / Alphaeus Taylor / Maxim Ludwig @ Hotel Café
The Littlest Viking @ Silver Factory Studios
Thursday 8/27/09[Pick of the Night]
Crocodiles /
PENS /
Graffiti Island @ Spaceland ($10) – San Diego band that’s gotten a lot of buzz with their JAMC, Suicide, Echo and the Bunnymen-inspired tunes.
[Recommended]
Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses / Jonny Burke @ Troubadour ($15) – He put on a great show when I saw him at Stagecoach a couple of years ago.
[Recommended]
The Dirtbombs / Sermon / Jail Weddings @ The Echo ($15) – Garage punk, they put on a very good live show.
[Recommended]
Gary Wilson & the Blind Dates /
Dam-Funk and Master Blazter /
James Pants & the Royal Zodiac /
Weave! / DJ Bruce Haack @ Bootleg Theater ($12) – Interesting bill.
[Recommended]
The Dead Weather /
Tyvek @ The Glass House ($30)
Conor Oberst /
Dungen /
Kurt Vile @ Echoplex ($25) – I’d be more into the support than the headliner.
Woods / Best Coast / Garbaj Kaetz / LA Fog @ Echo Curio
Deerhunter @ Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa ($14)
Franz Ferdinand @ Hollywood Palladium ($35)
Devendra Banhart @ House of Blues Anaheim ($23)
Cake @ the Fox Theater in Pomona ($35)
Lowrider Band / Very Be Careful @ Santa Monica Pier (Free) - Lila Downs has cancelled her appearance
Screening of Live at the Smell @ Downtown Independent ($5) – DVD release party with lots of DJ sets. Movie screens at 8:00 PM
Matt & Kim / Amanda Blank @ El Rey (Sold Out)
Pete Yorn / Zee Avi @ The Fonda ($30)
Kate Earl @ Hotel Café
Walter Lure & the Waldos / The Stitches @ Knitting Factory ($12)
The Watkins Family Hour @ Largo ($25)
Victim Vision / Future Ghost / Dirt Dress @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue @ the Mint ($10)
Terence Blanchard @ Grammy Museum ($20)
Friday 8/28/09[Pick of the Night]
Os Mutantes / DJ Nobody @ Echoplex ($30) – Brazilian legends. I’ve got some tickets to give away for this one.
[Recommended]
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists / Jeff the Brotherhood @ the Echo ($17) – Good live show.
Gang Gang Dance /
Ariel Pink @ Troubadour ($15)
Tenacious D @ Largo (Sold Out)
The Warlocks /
The Morning After Girls /
Gliss @ Spaceland ($12)
Jim Bianco @ Hotel Café
Hecuba /
Lucky Dragsons / Gowns / Beast Cop @ the Smell ($5)
Junior Boys (DJ set) / Virgin Tears @ Avalon
JJ Grey and Mofro @ El Rey ($20)
Pete Yorn / Juliette Commagere / J.D. King @ The Fonda ($30)
Liza Minnelli @ Hollywood Bowl ($10 - $116)
As Tall as Lions @ Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa ($12)
Blue Jungle / UV Lights / Jungle Peeps / Leash Kids / Okie Dokie @ L’Keg
The Casualties @ The Glass House ($17)
Adam Willetts / M. Geddes Gengras / Yek Koo / VSLS @ Echo Curio
Tom Freund / Matt the Electrician / Jess Klein @ McCabe’s ($15)
Learning Music / Video / Rats @ Pehrspace
The Hundred Days / Actress / Ballerina Black @ Bootleg Theater ($8)
Pollyn / The Frequency @ the Mint ($10)
Saturday 8/29/09[Pick of the Week]
Joe Pernice /
John Cunningham @ McCabe’s ($16) – I’m a huge Pernice Brothers fan. This is more of a book tour/live show. The new book is an entertaining read. He’s very skilled at writing dialogue. The new record features a bunch of covers and passages from the book. Not a good entry point, but fans should appreciate it.
[Recommended]
Akron Family /
Howlin' Rain /
Lucky Dragons @ El Rey ($22) – Every time one of the songs from the new Akron/Family comes up on my shuffle I remember how much I like the record.
[Recommended]
Patton Oswalt @ Largo ($25) – One of my favorite comedians
The National /
Cass McCombs @ The Wiltern ($28) – One of the contemporary bands I should like, but just don’t get.
Band of Horses / Willoughby @ Fox Theater in Pomona ($23) – I liked their first record.
Princeton /
Fol Chen @ Pehrspace – 7” release party.
Dream Theater / Zappa Plays Zappa / Bigelf @ Greek Theatre ($40 - $65)
Katy Perry / The Bird and the Bee @ Hollywood Palladium ($33)
Box Elders / Audacity / Tijuana Panthers @ the Echo ($8) - Early show at 4:00 PM
George Clinton & the Parliament Funkadelic @ Club Nokia ($33 - $75) – I saw them about ten years ago and they were pretty good.
Carl Cox @ the Vanguard ($30)
The Warlocks /
Useless Keys /
The Black Apples @ Spaceland ($12)
The Minus 5 /
The Baseball Project @ Troubadour ($15)
Fat Joe @ Key Club ($30)
Liza Minnelli @ Hollywood Bowl ($10 - $116)
Blaine Campbell / Ruthann Friedman / Helene Renaut @ Echo Curio
His Orchestra / Kenneth Pattengale / Soul Puppet @ Bootleg Theater ($8)
Maia Sharp / Michelle Featherstone @ Hotel Café
Moonalice / Ryan Eggold @ The Mint ($12)
Shurman / Welldiggers Banquet / Tony Gilkyson @ Redwood
Modest Mouse / The Night Marchers @ the Grove of Anaheim
Rocco Deluca @ Saint Rocke in Hermosa Beach
The Monolators / Box Violet @ Silver Factory Studios
Sunday 8/30/09[Pick of the Night]
Mark Burgess (of The Chameleons) / War Tapes / The New Room @ The Echo ($10)
The Mars Volta @ Hollywood Palladium ($35) – I’ve never cared about their records, but they put on a great live show. Little Radio Summer Camp:
Fool's Gold @ 2017 E. Seventh St. ($10) - From Noon to 6:00 PM
Grand Ole Echo: Ted Russell Kamp / Gina Villalobos / Paperplanes @ the Echo (Free) - Early show at 5:00 PM
The Faint / Moving Units @ Club Nokia ($27)
The Duke Spirit @ Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa ($15)
The Parson Red Heads / Francisco the Man / Terry Prine / Light Music @ Alex’s Bar – If you miss them on Monday…
Def Leppard / Poison /
Cheap Trick @ Verizon Wireless ($30 - $125)
Neil Hamburger / J. P. Incorporated / Brendon Walsh / Erik Charles Nielsen @ Spaceland ($8)
Killah Priest / Evidence / Planet Asia @ The Roxy ($20)
The Hereafter @ Hotel Café
Dredg / RX Bandits @ El Rey ($20)
Ask Your Mama with Laura Karpman and Jessye Norman and the Roots @ Hollywood Bowl ($10 - $116)
Pumice / Metal Rouge / ING / Sleepwalkers Local / Greg Muon @ Echo Curio
Moira Smiley & Voco @ McCabe’s ($15)
Brunch Americana: The Vaquetones / Brian Jay & the Last Call Boys / Dave Gleason @ Redwood
Post Foetus / Water Color Paintings / Subtle Selves / Really Very @ L’Keg
Zee Avi @ Saint Rocke in Hermosa Beach
Radar Brothers Play Their Record Release Show at Spaceland in March
