Live Music Options

Here are some suggestions for things you might want to check out over the next three days. That's the Clean Prophets on the left.

Tuesday
The Open Mike Andrews @ Tangier [$5] - For the KCRW crowd. Mike Andrews is a producer and composer who has worked on some cool shit (Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared and Donnie Darko). He's currently collaborating with Van Dyke Parks and Lavender Diamond. This is his weekly Jon Brion-ish gig where he invites a lot of friends to stop by and play.

The Longcut @ Cine-Space [$5] - For the trend watchers. These Manchester guys are flying to the states to do the quick LA, San Francisco and New York showcases to promote their new ep and build buzz. They've been massively hyped by NME and the rest of the British press if that means anything to you. They consider themselves Sonic Youth rip-offs but actually have a little Joy Division in there too. Also Wednesday at the Silverlake Lounge.
Download "Late Night Bus (live)"

Wednesday
Chief Corn Foot's Corn Chowder Comedy Hour @ Sea Level Records [FREE] 8:00PM - For comedy fans. Here's a cool free event at Sea Level Records. You can see Paul F. Tompkins, Mike O'Connell, Eddie Pepitone, Paul Rust, James Adomian and a surprise special guest.

The Longcut @ Silverlake Lounge [$7] - See above. Another chance to see them before the US press machine kicks in.

The Probe @ Spaceland [$5] - For the punk/metal fan. I've written about them before. Say hi to John the bass player and buy him drinks.

Thursday
The Clean Prophets / Moris Tepper @ the Echo [$7] - For fans of early 80s British rock. The Clean Prophets just finished a new record that I'm listening to right now. It's got an Echo & the Bunnymen / Chameleons feel to it. They're a three-piece band with members that you may have seen over the years in bands like Brian Jonestown Massacre, Sunstorm, the Stitches or the Superbees. Moris Tepper has a crazy resume. He's played with Captain Beefheart, Tom Waits, Frank Black and Robyn Hitchcock. His bass player is PJ Harvey.
Download The Clean Prophets' "Tambourine Crown"

Mellowdrone / Magnus Elliassen @ Spaceland [$5 - but email them to get in free] - I wrote about them last week. This should be more rockin' than the acoustic show last week. Opener, Magnus Elliassen is a sensitive singer-songwriter from Norway.

Kristen Hirsh @ Tangier [$17] - For Throwing Muses fans. She's doing two sets - the first featuring Throwing Muses stuff and the second with her solo stuff. Also appearing Friday at Tangier.

Monday Night Residencies in January

There are a few free Monday night residencies in January. That's Wiskey Biscuit on the left.

@ the Echo
Future Pigeon & Wiskey Biscuit (Future Pigeon 1/9/06 & Wiskey Biscuit 1/16/06 & 1/30/06) - Wiskey Biscuit has been around since 1988. That's a long time and they've got the stories to prove it. They signed to a major in the early 90s (and recorded at Willie Nelson's studio) but the album never came out. In the mid-90s they played a lot of really memorable shows around town (back when the stage at Spaceland faced the other way). They toured the country opening for Elliott Smith. I saw them at the Austin, TX show and Jason's parents bought me dinner after the show. Jason and Steve Hanft even made a cool movie about Elliott Smith. They've also been in some pretty notorious relationships. Future Pigeon is a dub off-shoot of Wiskey Biscuit that adds Ed Rusha Jr. (son of one of LA's most famous artists) to the mix. Their alter-egos host the Dub Club on Wednesday night at the Echo. Future Pigeon was featured in another locally produced movie, SOUTHLANDER. Whichever band you see, there will be a lot of people on stage and they'll be having a really good time. Hopefully Wiskey Biscuit will play some classic songs.

@ Spaceland
Viva K - It seems almost impossible, but I've never seen this band live. They've drawn comparisons to Siouxsie and the Banshees, PJ Harvey and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They have trance qualities and an affinity for Indian music. They're endorsed by Filter Magazine. They've done Morning Becomes Eclectic, Sunset Junction and a residency at the Echo. They've played shows with Andy Bell (Erasure), She Wants Revenge and almost every eastside LA band. One of the members DJs in the Cahuenga corridor and on the roof of the Standard downtown. All they need is a lift from radio....
1/9/06 - buzz band Scissors for Lefty and Rocket join them
1/16/06 - big buzz band Editors join them
1/23/06 - the Dents join them
1/30/06 - Austinites Sound Team join them

@ Silverlake Lounge
Meho Plaza - These guys seem to have the electro-dance beats that some of you are into these days. Judge for yourself.....
Download "The Beach"
Download "George Washington"

Weekend Music Picks

I'm guessing you didn't get Strokes tickets? I wouldn't sweat it. I've seen them before and they just stand around looking bored and they sound exactly like the record. That's Skot from 400 Blows at the left.

Friday
400 Blows @ the Echo [$10] - For fans of abrasive rock. It still seems pretentious to name yourself after a Truffaut film, but I almost started a record label and named it after a Godard film (which is even worse). This is a Gold Standard Lab night (Mars Volta-backed) and Free Moral Agents is also playing (featuring Ikey - the keyboard player - from the Mars Volta).
Download "The Root of Our Nature"
Download "The Ugly Are So Beautiful"
Download "The Beauty of Internal Darkness"

Saturday
Richard Buckner @ Spaceland [$10] For fans of country-folk. He's a talented singer-songwriter with a gruff voice. I've always been more of an admirer than an actual fan. I did see him perform in Austin one time and he's compelling.
Stream some music HERE

Sunday
The Checkers @ the Echo [$5] EARLY SHOW 5:00 PM - For fans of new wave ("think Blondie meets the Buzzcocks"). They're a fun band to see live with a female lead singer with a lot of attitude. Plus, they're on Jim Freek's record label, Teenacide, and he's a good guy.

Album Review: Wilco's KICKING TELEVISION

Last month I blogged about Wilco's KICKING TELEVISION, implying that it was just a typical fourth quarter label scheme to take money off of fans of their blue chip artists. While the price does still seem steep ($20 is the cheapest I've seen it), I got the album from my lady for Christmas and love it. It's definitely the best official live album in recent memory. They revisit the back catalog and play many of the newer songs with energy that was sadly missing on the studio versions. It makes me sad I wasn't at the shows (but I will be seeing Jeff Tweedy on Feb. 13 @ the Fonda).

....so pick it up at Sea Level (Echo Park/LA), Love Garden (Lawrence, KS), Waterloo (Austin, TX) or an independent record shop in your town....

And if you're a Wilco fan check out this month's Uncut Magazine for an interview with Tweedy where he talks more in-depth about his addiction.

Hook 'em Horns!

Live Music Picks

Happy new year! Time to get this blog going again.....

Wednesday 1/4/06
Mike Stinson @ Silverlake Lounge [$7] - For the country-rock/honky tonk fans. My favorite local country artist, Stinson doesn't have a pretty voice but it does have character. He signs about heartbreak, California, dope and drinking. Many of his arrangements borrow heavily from Gram Parsons/The Flying Burrito Brothers. His guitar player is very good (Tony Gilkyson) and used to be in X. Stinson's been covered by Dwight Yoakam and has dated Lucinda Williams and Pamela Des Barres. He's also playing on Friday at the Cinema Bar in West Los Angeles.

Thursday 1/5/06
Nedelle @ the Smell [$5] - For fans of female singer-songwriters. She's from Oakland and she's got a soft, slightly sad voice.
Download Begin to Breathe
Download The Natural Light

Mellowdrone @ Spaceland [$5] For space rock fans. They're doing a Thursday night residency at Spaceland to promote their upcoming album. Email them to get on their guest list. I haven't heard the record but the song below sounds like a softer version of Muse. According to Filter Magazine, they've got some synth-y dance-pop songs too.
Download Fashionably Uninvited

Friday 1/6/06
The Strokes @ the Troubadour [$15] - You've got to fax your order to the Troubadour today at 2:00PM to get tickets. I like their first album, then they repeated it and what I've heard of the third album (it came out yesterday) is pretty shitty. It would probably be fun to see them at the Troubadour.