Recent Live Music Announcements

This Beard-o [aka Iron & Wine] Comes to the Wiltern in January

The Wiltern

1/26/11: Iron & Wine / The Low Anthem (presale now, password = SOUND; Friday at 10 AM)

1/29/11: Ween (Friday at 10 AM)

The Glass House [tix through Ticketfly]

12/11/11: No Age / The Soft Pack / Off! / Crystal Antlers / Dangers / La Sera / Comadre / Lovely Bad Things (now)

Staples Center

8/20/11: Sade (Monday at 10 AM)

Hollywood Palladium

1/29/11: Social Distortion (now)

3/21/11: Girl Talk (Friday at 10 AM)

The Satellite (f/k/a Spaceland)

1/25/11: The Vaccines (now at Ticketweb)

3/23/11: Acid Mothers Temple Melting Paraiso UFO (now)

Gibson

1/14/11: Intocable (Friday at 1:00 PM)

Nokia Theatre LA Live

1/15/11: Maze / Frankie Beverly / Pattie LaBelle (Friday at 10 AM)

The Music Box

1/15/11: Lissie (Saturday at 10 AM)

2/21/11: Gang of Four (Friday at 10 AM)

El Rey

2/16/11: The Radio Dept. (Saturday at 10 AM)

Fox Theater Pomona

3/19/11: Girl Talk (Friday at 10 AM)

Troubadour [tix through Ticketfly]

1/15/11: Bad Books [featuring Kevin Devine & Manchester Orchestra] (Thursday at 1:00 PM)

2/11/11: ALO (Saturday at 10 AM)

Echoplex

1/5/11: Anthony B. (now at Ticketweb)

1/8/11: Little Dragon (now)

1/11/11: Pictureplane / Teengirl Fantasy / Terminal Twilight (now)

Bootleg Theater [tix through in ticketing]

1/28/11: The Handsome Family (now)



Shakeup In Silver Lake

Just got a press release making it official - Spaceland Productions will no longer be booking the club at 1717 Silver Lake Blvd (aka Spaceland). The press release mentions that Mitchell Frank and his business partner Jeff Ellermeyer "will open a new room for live music with a strong leaning towards dance nights and djs." No word yet on the whens or the wheres of the new club (although there are plenty of conflicting rumors floating around out there).  

So what's to come for the club at 1717 Silver Lake Blvd? It's going to be renamed Satellite wth the same ownership (Jeff Wolfram) and same managment. Liz Garo and Shannon Cornett will no longer be booking it. Nothing has been officially announced yet, but Spaceland Productions' press release mentions that booking for the Satellite will move "in house." People who happened to be at the club last Thursday and Friday might have thought they were having a flashback, but I can tell you that I saw former booker Jennifer Tefft hanging out at the club both nights (I don't think I'd seen her there since she stopped booking the club about a year ago). We'll have to wait for the press release for something official...

No worries if you've got tickets for the Melvins' residency (or any other currently booked shows). The shows will go on.  

[Update: Bronson is confirming Tefft is back as the booker]
[That horrible iPhone photo is from White Denim's show last Tuesday.]

Live Music Options: 11/8/10 - 11/14/10

Made it out a few times last week. I caught White Denim for the first time. Those guys are tight musicians - changing time signatures on a dime. If they ever get on the right tour, they'll blow up. Their crowd is very passionate about them. On Thursday I made it out for Le Switch's record release party at Spaceland. Good crowd and the band sounded great. On Friday I hit Spaceland for a third time for Trans Am. I love when they tease a few bars of some totally recognizable song (like Pink Floyd or Iron Maiden) before launching into their own genre hopping progginess.

Monday 11/8/10

[Pick of the Night] Dirt Dress / Summer Twins / Ghost Porn / Slipping Into Darkness @ Spaceland (Free) – Dirt Dress are doing the Monday night residency at Spaceland in November. Their music has a sort of lo-fi, early Velvet Underground vibe.

[Recommended] Black Apples / Tijuana Panthers / Future Ghost / Dead Trees (Free) – Black Apples are doing the Monday night residency this month at the Echo.

Chasing Kings / Moses Campbell / The Americans / W-H-I-T-E / The Jefferson @ Silverlake Lounge (Free) – Chasing Kings is doing the Monday night residency at the SLounge this month.
Diplo @ La Cita - Prolly going to be pretty packed..Sam Sparro's birthday party

It’s A School Night: Hanni El Khatib / Lesands / Emmett Tinley @ Bardot (Free w/ RSVP) – Florence and the Machine DJ set.

Florence and the Machine / Hanni El Khatib / Grouplove @ The Wiltern ($30 - $35)

A Perfect Circle @ Avalon ($47)

Phil Alvin @ Redwood Bar

Street Sweeper Social Club @ The Roxy ($20)

Sun Airway / Expo 70 @ Origami (Free)

Tuesday 11/9/10

[Pick of the Night] David Dondero / The Moaners / Star Anna & the Laughing Dogs @ Spaceland ($10) – Loving Townes Van Zandt is a good start.

Delorean / Lemonade / Superhumanoids @ Troubadour ($15) – Spanish indie-pop-dance faves.

Useless Keys / Twilight Sleep @ Viper Room ($10) – Good local bill.

Buika / Lila Downs @ Walt Disney Concert Hall ($46 - $85)

Brandon Flowers / Fran Healy @ Fox Theater ($30) – For fans of the Killers

Leopold and His Fiction / Railroad to Alaska / Dead White Underbelly / Semi Sweet @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)

Sean Hayes / Simone White @ Largo ($20)

A Perfect Circle @ Avalon ($47)

Brian Wright / Ladies Gun Club @ Bootleg ($10)

Lenka @ Hotel Café

The Black Widows / Symbol Six / Skull Control @ Redwood

Jimmie Vaughan @ The Grammy Museum ($20)

Wednesday 11/10/10

[Pick of the Night] Nobunny / The Intelligence / Moonhearts @ Spaceland ($12) – Known for his wacky stage attire and Bunny mask. He’s released stuff on Third Man, Douchemaster, Burger, Goner, HoZac.

Brandon Flowers / Fran Healy @ The Wiltern ($42) – Do you miss the Killers?

All Time Low @ Troubadour (Sold Out)

Low End Theory: Kraddy / DNAEBEATS / Heru @ Airliner ($10)

The Apple Sisters @ Largo ($25)

A Perfect Circle @ Avalon ($47)

Candy Claws / Chain Gang of 1974 / Elle King @ Bootleg ($12)

Bardo / Kozmonaut @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)

Papercranes / The Moor / The Child @ Bordello ($8)

The Blank Tapes @ Hotel Café

Circle Pit / Kit / Dominic Talrico / Jungle Fever @ The Smell ($5)

Eddie Nichols @ Redwood

Thursday 11/11/10

[Pick of the Week] Dean Wareham Plays Galaxie 500 / The Papercuts @ Troubadour ($18) – It would be great to see the Galaxie 500 songs live.

[Recommended] The Soft Pack / Kurt Vile & the Violators / Purling Hiss @ Echoplex ($12) – I finally saw The Soft Pack (one of my favorite records of the year) live at the Eagle Rock Music Fest. The sound system left something to be desired, so it would be nice to see them in a real club.

[Recommended] Sonny & The Sunsets / Tennis @ The Echo ($10) – Two bands getting a lot of buzz who seem to warrant it.

Nosaj Thing / Toro y Moi / Jogger @ El Rey ($17) – Another of the LA underground hip-hop electronic guys who is finally getting his due.

Tim Kasher / Darren Hanlon @ Bootleg ($15) – Of Cursive

Evil Beaver / Cinderella Motel / Ghettoblaster @ Spaceland ($8)
XBXRX / Kid Infinity / Captain Ahab / Kevin Blechdom @ 5 Star Bar ($5)

KT Tunstall / Hurricane Bells @ The Music Box ($25)

Erin McKoewn’s Distillation Tour @ Largo ($20)

K-Ci and JoJo / Dru Hill @ Club Nokia

Salesman / Sabrosa Purr / Roman Candle Wars / Black Light White Light @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)

Austin Hartley Leonard / Alex Dezen @ Hotel Café

The Smart Brothers / Miracle Parade / The Blasting Company @ Redwood

Cassandra Wilson @ The Grammy Museum ($25)

The Supervillians @ The Roxy ($15)

Friday 11/12/10

[Pick of the Night] The Pains of Being Pure at Heart / Weekend / Sonny & The Sunsets @ Echoplex ($17) – I liked these guys live and enjoy their recorded shit.

[Recommended] Ghostface Killah @ The Roxy ($29) – Hip hop party

[Recommended] Dengue Fever perform live score to The Lost World @ Royce Hall ($33 - $43) – Sounds like an interesting night of music/film.

[Recommended] The Blank Tapes / Incan Abraham / The Silverlake Chorus @ Spaceland ($7) – I’ve heard good things about Incan Abraham. They might be another local band to keep your eye on.

Mayer Hawthorne & the County / Childish Gambino / Gordon Voidwell @ The Music Box ($20)

Teitur @ Bootleg ($15)
Free Moral Agents @ Airliner 

Stars / Delays @ The Wiltern ($29 - $41)

Laco$te / Birth! / Toe Jam / Black Boots @ The Smell ($5)

Over the Rhine / Lucy Wainwright Roche @ Troubadour ($25)
Red Cortez @ Dinner House M

Misfits @ Key Club ($28)

Matt Taibbi with Michael Penn @ Largo

Lucy Schwartz @ Hotel Café

Mae @ The Glass House ($20)

The Mother Hips @ McCabe’s ($20)

Muddy Reds / The Real Nasty / The Peach Kings @ Redwood

Gestapo Khazi @ Vacation (Free)

Saturday 11/13/10

[Pick of the Night] Best Coast / Dunes @ Troubadour (Sold Out) – Best Coast brings up really strong opinions from people (both positive and negative).

Fistful of Mercy (Joseph Arthur, Ben Harper, Dhani Harrison) @ Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever (Sold Out)

Or, The Whale / Chris Pureka @ Spaceland ($10) – Good rootsy, alt-country times

Bo Burnham @ The Music Box ($27.50)

Mae / Terrible Things / Windsor Drive / The Workday Release @ El Rey ($17.50)

Pepper / Fishbone / Chali 2na / Pour Habit @ Club Nokia ($28)

Pennywise / Alkaline Trio @ Hollywood Palladium ($43)

American Royalty @ Bootleg ($8)

Tyrone Wells / Andrew Belle @ Hotel Café – Early and late show

Basia at Grove of Anaehim

Whitman / No Babies / Narwhalz (of Sound) / Nero’s Day at Disneyland @ The Smell ($5)

Yellowcard @ the Glass House ($20)

Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s @ Detroit Bar ($12)

Traps, Ps @ Origami (Free)

Alkaline Trio @ Alex’s Bar ($20)

Zoobombs @ Redwood – I’m always surprised when bands travel all the way from Japan to play a tiny stage like Redwood. Nothing wrong with it, just not sure how they work out the economics of the situation.

Sunday 11/14/10

[Pick of the Night] Best Coast / Dunes @ Troubadour (Sold Out) – Night two.

[Recommended] Stars / The Pains of Being Pure at Heart / Geographer @ The Glass House ($18) – If you’re willing to drive out to Pomona, this probably beats seeing either of these bands alone in LA.

Junip / Sharon Van Etten @ The Music Box ($20) – Jose Gonzalez fans take note.

Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s @ Echoplex ($16)

Fistful of Mercy (Joseph Arthur, Ben Harper, Dhani Harrison) @ Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever (Sold Out) – Night two

Masaki Batoh (of Ghost) / White Magic / The Young Elders @ Spaceland ($12) – Experimental night.

Zoobombs / Inazuma / The Stitched Lips @ Redwood – The second of two Japanese bands in town.

Marc Cohn / Sahara Smith @ El Rey ($40)

Procul Harum @ Orpheum ($35 - $75)

Jack Tempchin @ Hotel Café

Tom Morello / Wayne Kramer / Gilby Clarke @ House of Blues Sunset ($50) 

Sex Worker / Psychic Reality / Diva Dompe / Butchy Fuego @ The Smell ($5)

Woodsman / Gauntlet Hair @ Origami (Free)

Le Switch: Record Release and Show Tonight at Spaceland

I don't normally re-print press releases, but I guess I'll make an exception for one that wrote. They're also streaming the new album at Bandcamp and debuted their new single at LA Weekly.

When Los Angeles’ Le Switch decided to go into the studio to record the follow up to 2008’s And Now….Le Switch, they mulled their options. With the departure of their longtime viola/trumpet player they wanted to sharpen their focus and make a truly collaborative record. With too many distractions in Los Angeles, the remaining four members opted to head north to Hangar Studios in Sacramento (Vetiver, Broken West, The Morning Benders).

The change in environment worked its magic. Singer/guitarist Aaron Kyle opened up the songwriting process and the other three members contributed lyrics and production ideas, organically pushing the band in new directions. At their core, the new songs retain the soulful, early 1970’s rock ‘n’ roll approach of the first album, but as if filtered through the pop half of Jon Brion’s brain.

Josh Charney’s presence is felt profoundly; there are very few songs when the first note played isn’t from an upright piano, organ, Wurlitzer or Moog. He also contributes the almost Petty-esque track, “Bad Decisions.” Christopher Harrison (who also plays bass) punctures all the toe-tapping in the songs with jagged guitar solos. Drummer Joe Napolitano (Henry Clay People, Princeton, The Northstar Session) once again engineers, contributes the occasional guitar riff and even plays keys on his late-period Beatles-inspired contribution, “How We Imagined It.”

Aaron Kyle’s voice (both literally and figuratively) is front and center in the mix. Flavorpill described him as “one of the most seductive and mournful voices around, running the gamut from yodel to Hank Williams warble” and the LA Times said he “sings as if he’s never five minutes from his last whiskey , or five minutes from his next.”  Lyrically, Kyle explores classic, personal themes like: falling in love, falling out of love, searching for your place, finding your passion, Sisyphean struggles and succumbing to desperation. 

When asking the band about the meaning behind the album title (The Rest of Me is Space) I was told a little story of their Halloween in Sacramento. The band was taking a break from recording and Christopher called home to say hello to his wife and daughter. They had just returned from a costume party. His wife, Bridget, mentioned being particularly impressed with one of the little boy’s costumes. When she asked the boy to explain it, the boy said, “I’m Saturn (a large blue, orange and yellow bulb with rings covered his head), and the rest of me is space” wearing black pajamas with glitter. The band fell in love with the story and when they saw the actual photo of him, it was decided that this be the name of the record.

Le Switch is ecstatic to have Paul Larson (The Minor Canon, Strictly Ballroom, DNTEL) join them on bass for their upcoming tour. Their record release show takes place at Spaceland (in their home base of Silver Lake) on November 4th. They’ll follow that up with a West Coast tour that will take them through the new year.

MP3: Call Out
MP3: All About Heart

Recent Live Show Announcements

Mogwai Return to the Mayan in May



Stagecoach Festival

4/30/11 – 5/1/11: Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Loretta Lynn, Josh Turner, Easton Corbin, Chris Young, Leon Russell, Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas Trio, Gatlin Brothers, Jack Ingram, Mel Tillis, Rodney Crowell, Rhonda Vincent, The Punch Brothers, The Secret Sisters, Steel Magnolia, Joanna Smith, Wanda Jackson, Stealing Angels, The Gourds, Rosie Flores, Junior Brown, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Sara Watkins, The Cleverlys, Phosphorescent and Truth & Salvage Co. (Friday at 10 AM)

El Rey

12/11/10: People Under the Stairs (now)

1/14/11: The Budos Band (Saturday at 10 AM)

3/2/11: Swans / Wooden Wand (Friday at 10 AM)

3/31/11: GALACTIC  with Cyril Neville, Corey Henry (Saturday at 10 AM)

The Mayan

5/10/11: Mogwai (now)

Spaceland

12/7/10: Rob Crow of Pinback / Kenseth Thibadeau of Three Mile Pilot (now at Ticketweb)

The Echo

11/19/10: Shadow Shadow Shade (now at Ticketweb)

Echoplex

12/16/10: Pigeon John (now at Ticketweb)

1/29/11: Deerhoof / Ben Butler / Mousepad

Nokia Theatre

12/5/10: KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball – Katy Perry / Enrique Iglesias / Nelly / B.o.B. / Travie McCoy / Selena Gomez / Bruno Mars (Saturday at 10 AM)

12/16/10: Mark & Brian Christmas Show – Billy Idol (Saturday at 10 AM)

The Music Box

12/3/10 – 12/4/10: Dweezil Zappa Plays Zappa with George Duke (now)

1/28/11: moe. (Saturday at 10 AM)

1/27/11: Amos Lee / Vusi Mahlasela (Friday at 10 AM)

Troubadour

1/13/11: Plan B (Thursday at 1:00 PM)

Gibson Amphitheatre

12/3/10: Power 106 Cali Christmas 2010 – Ice Cube / Chris Brown / Pitbull / Rick Ross / Far East Movement (Saturday at 10 AM)

1/22/11: Toby Mac / Skillet (Friday at 10 AM)

The Wiltern

4/6/11: Pete Yorn / Ben Kweller (Friday at 10 AM)