Ticket Giveaway: The Knux at Spaceland

If you're anything like me, you don't go see that many rap acts. But last year at SXSW by Saturday night (and after seeing about 45 guitar rock bands over the course of a few days), I was completely guitar rock-ed out. So on Saturday night I stumbled into Vice on 6th Street to see a few rappers. I didn't completely escape guitars (I think they all had live bands) but I still accomplished what I set out to do, see something different...

So in addition to seeing Asher Roth (who was pretty awful) and Janelle Monae (who was great) I saw the Knux. And they were super fun and really talented. Which brings me to Friday night...

My pals at Passion of the Weiss are putting on a show at Spaceland this Friday night. As my go to authority on rap, Jeff Weiss turned me on the Knux. And readers of his blog will recognize two of the other artists on the bill: Nocando and 5 O'Clock Shadowboxers (check out their Myspace page for "Stay Clean" which is the first rap song I've heard with an Elliott Smith sample). The Holloys are also appearing...

For more info and MP3s, go HERE..

To win a pair of tickets, email me [dukeufo at gmail] with the name of your favorite rap album of all time. Please put "Knux" in the subject line. Contest closes at Noon on Friday...

Live Music Options: 4/5/10 - 4/11/10

Helen Stellar Begin Their Monday Night Residency at Spaceland

It was my first time seeing Paul McCartney last week. All in all it was a really good show (his band sounded great, the setlist was solid, his voice sounded mostly great). The big complaint was getting there. Usually I take the LA Zoo shuttle, but for some reason it wasn't running (leased show maybe?). Instead we parked and took the shuttle up from Hollywood & Highland. Over and hour later we were finally at the Bowl. Ridiculously aggravating. Fortunately McCartney delayed the start of the show and I didn't miss anything, but when you're paying over $1 a minute to see somebody, you don't want to miss anything....

Monday 4/5/10
[Pick of the Night] Helen Stellar / Mere Mortals / Luna Vista / Hexham Heads @ Spaceland (Free) – Helen Stellar’s doing the Monday night residency at Spaceland this month. They added a second guitarist and their sound is even thicker and fuller than before.
[Recommended] Walking Sleep / Stevenson Ranch Davidians / Sons of August / Carsick Cars @ The Echo (Free) – Walking Sleep is the new name for the Flying Tourbillon Orchestra. They’re doing the Monday night residency at the Echo this month.
[Recommended] Demo Team / Charlie Wadhams / Henry Wolfe @ Bootleg ($7)
So Many Wizards / Big Whup / Voice on Tape / The Fall Trees @ Silverlake Lounge (Free) – So Many Wizards is doing the Monday night residency at the Silverlake Lounge this month.
Jakob Dylan @ Grammy Museum ($18)
Chris Hardwick / Adam Savage @ Largo ($20)
David Scott Stone @ Echo Curio
Fangs / Rare Grooves / The Real Noriegas / Hello My Name Is Red @ Pehrspace
The Church @ the Roxy ($32)
The Numerators @ L’Keg

Tuesday 4/6/10
[Pick of the Night] RJD2 / Busdriver / Happy Chichester @ El Rey ($22) – RJD2’s most recent was a return to his roots.
Signals / The Numerators / Po Po / Allah Las @ The Smell ($5)
Alicia Keys @ Staples Center
LA Font / Kazai Rex / Latin Meds / Blok @ Spaceland (Free)
Paper Tongues / Stars Align @ Troubadour ($12)
Moonshine and the Drugs / Toy Robot / Useless Keys / Regrets and Brunettes @ Detroit Bar (Free)
Five for Fighting / Matt Wertz @ the Wiltern
Wake Up Lucid / Welldiggers Banquet / Martyrs @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)

Wednesday 4/7/10
[Pick of the Night] Miles Kurosky / Pancho-San / Sexy Jail @ the Echo ($12) – Kurosky was the lead singer of Beulah. I still pull out When Your Heartstrings Break every once in a while.
Club NME: Deep Sea Diver / The Fling / Foster the People ($5) – The lead singer of Deep Sea Diver has toured with Beck and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and they’ve opened for Conor Oberst.
Wet & Reckless / Cinderella Motel @ Bordello ($7) – Wet & Reckless features Jess (bass player from the Movies).
Lelia Broussard / Andy Davis / Sharif @ Hotel Café
Craig Wedren @ Bootleg ($10) – Formerly of Shudder to Think.
Samuel Stewart / Thurlow / John Isaac Watters @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
The White Sundays / P.K. 14 / Carsick Cars / AV Okubo / Chase Allen @ Viper Room ($15)
Owl City / Lights / Paper Route @ Fox Theater (Sold Out) – Have you heard that song that sounds a lot like Postal Service?
Citizen Cope / Sandrine @ the Wiltern
Low End Theory: Eliot Lipp / Egadz / Edison @ Airliner ($10)
A Fine Frenzy @ Largo ($20)
Roska / Eprom / Eskmo @ The Roxy (Free w/ RSPV to Scion)

Thursday 4/8/10
[Pick of the Night] The Minor Canon / Terraplane Sun / Lincoln Bedroom @ Silverlake Lounge ($8) – One of my favorite local bands. Great, melancholy stuff.
[Recommended] Raekwon / Blu / UNI / Dom Kennedy / Diz Gibran @ Echoplex ($15)
HoneyHoney / Rocco Deluca @ Hotel Café
We Are the World / We Are the Wolves / Sir Heffington’s Fingered @ The Echo ($8)
Veil Veil Vanish / Seaspin / Repeater / In Waves @ Spaceland ($5)
Depswa / Opus Dai / Drugstore Fanatics / Rishloo / Eenik @ Troubadour ($10)
Revolver Golden Rods: Slash / Rob Zombie / As I Lay Dying / The Devil Wears Prada @ Club Nokia ($33 - $100)
The Deluge / Theendisthebeginning @ Bootleg ($10)
Bad Religion @ House of Blues Anaheim

Friday 4/9/10
[Pick of the Night] The Knux / Nocando / 5 O’Clock Shadowboxers / The Holloys @ Spaceland ($10) – Presented by our pals over at Passion of the Weiss. The Knux is great fun to see live. I’ll be giving away tickets to this later in the week.
[Recommended] Les Blanks / The World Record @ Casey’s Downtown (Free) – Les Blanks is doing a Friday night residency. The World Record’s one of the most underrated local bands.
[Recommended] Terry Reid @ McCabe’s ($20) – He could have been the lead singer of Led Zeppelin
[Recommended] Carsick Cars / P.K. 14 / Av-Okubo / The Monolators / Signals / M31 @ American Legion Highland Park ($7) - Three Chinese bands and three LA bands. Sounds like fun. Located at 227 N. Avenue 55. Bronson at Buzz Bands really likes Carsick Cars .
Andrew W.K. / The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band @ Key Club ($10) – Hipsters used to hate on Andrew W.K. and now all of a sudden they’ve embraced him. By all accounts he’s one of the nicest dudes around.
Murder By Death / Ha Ha Tonka / Linfinity @ Troubadour ($15)
The Janks / Family of the Year @ Bootleg ($10)
Cary Brothers / Truth & Salvage Co. @ Hotel Café
Suki Ewers / Old Toy Trains / Space Waves @ Pehrspace
Michael Buble @ Staples Center
Owl City / Lights / Paper Route @ Fox Theater (Sold Out) – Have you heard that song that sounds an awful lot like the Postal Service?
Opeth @ the Wiltern
Bad Religion / Chuck Ragan @ House of Blues Anaheim
Edie Sedgwick / Former Ghosts / Tearist / Fantasica Bastidas @ The Smell ($5)
Nikka Costa @ the Roxy ($25)
The Watkins Family Hour @ Largo ($20)
Sharp Objects / The Ignorant / Cumstain / Blvd. Beat @ Redwood Bar

Saturday 4/10/10
[Pick of the Night] Liars / Fol Chen @ El Rey ($17) – Art rockers.
Saint Motel / Voxhaul Broadcast / The Pity Party / Mississippi Man @ Echoplex ($12)
Adam Green / The Dead Trees @ Troubadour ($20) – Formerly of the Moldy Peaches, his new record has a Transformer vibe to it.
Slough Feg / Bible of the Devil / Professor / Green and Wood @ Spaceland ($10)
6 D Watt Kid / Dirt Dress / Speculator / Tan Dollar @ Synchronicity ($5) – Dirt Dress are getting a lot of good buzz lately.
Mint Condition / Mateo @ Club Nokia ($20 - $45)
Wires in the Walls / Olin and the Moon @ Bootleg ($8)
Bad Religion/ The Dickies @ House of Blues Sunset
Patty Griffin / Buddy Miller @ The Wiltern ($30 - $50)
Murder By Death @ Detroit Bar ($15)
Very Be Careful @ Alex’s Bar
Adler’s Appetite @ Key Club ($18)
Catwalk / Sea Lions / Sweater Girls / Waterlaso @ The Smell ($5)
Graydon @ Hotel Café
Mayday @ Gibson Amphitheatre
Jackshit @ McCabe’s ($15)
Jail Weddings / Gestapo Khazi / The Beat Killers / Stab City @ Redwood Bar
The Health Club / Manhattan Murder Mystery / Ingenue @ Mr. T’s Bowl
Harmala @ 3 of Clubs

Sunday 4/11/10
[Pick of the Night] Grand Ole Echo: I See Hawks in LA / Wheelhouse / Mars Arizona @ The Echo (Free) – Starts at 5:00 PM; Wheelhouse features Brian Whelan and Ross Flournoy of The Broken West
The Living Sisters @ Amoeba (Free) – 5:00 PM set; Inara George, Becky Stark and Eleni Mandell
The Boats / Sharp Objects / Gestapo Khazi @ Echo Curio
Neil Hamburger / Jon Daly / Chris Garcia @ Spaceland ($8)