Live Music Options 3/20-3/23

Band of Horses plays Wednesday at King King.

This week is B-A-N-A-N-A-S. There's no excuse for not going out....

Monday 3/20/06
Belle & Sebastian @ Amoeba 3:00PM [FREE] - I'll be at work, but maybe you can go? I saw them last night and they were fantastic. Tickets are on sale now for the Hollywood Bowl on July 6th.

Serena Maneesh / Division Day @ the Echo [FREE] - There were tons of people willing to pay $10 to see Serena Maneesh last night even though they're playing for free tonight. See my weekend post for an MP3. I read a review of a SXSW performance that said they were better live than on record and fun to watch.

Mystery Jets / Noisettes @ Troubadour [$12] - This is the LA Weekly pick, so I figured I'd list it. A couple of hyped British bands that didn't live up to the hype at SXSW (according to several accounts).

Battle / Forward Russia @ Spaceland [FREE] - Both these bands just played SXSW and they play Cinespace tomorrow night. Battle is from South London and Forward Russia is from Leeds. Battle sounds more guitar rock and Forward Russia sounds more dancey post-punk revival. Not sure if they're good or not? Only one way to find out.
Download Battle's "Demons"
Download Forward Russia's "Four"

Birdy Nam Nam @ Fold/Tangier [$14] - 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM shows. A DJ crew from France and DMC World Team Champion. Their music is created entirely on turntables.

Jose Gonzalez @ Hotel Cafe 10:00PM [?] - He's a Swedish singer-songwriter along the lines of Kings of Convenience. Some blogs are raving about his SXSW performances. Also Tuesday at the Jensen Rec Center.

Tuesday 3/21/06
Tapes 'n Tapes / Cold War Kids @ Knitting Factory Alterknit Lounge 7:00 PM [$8] - Kind of surprised this isn't sold out yet. It's in the small room. Minneapolis based Tapes 'n Tapes is one of the major buzz bands right now. They sound like a lot of indie rock you've heard before (there's a lot of Pixies and Pavement in there). I'll be there.
Download Tapes 'n Tapes' "Insistor"
Download Tapes 'n Tapes' "Cowbell"
Download Tapes 'n Tapes' "Omaha"

The Plastic Constellations @ Knitting Factory Front Bar [$8] - Pitchfork loved their SXSW performance. They're from Minneapolis too and good friends with the Hold Steady. The Allmusic Guide compares them to Fugazi and At the Drive In.

Richard Hawley @ Knitting Factory Main Stage [$12] - He's a British singer-songwriter and touring guitarist in Pulp. He's influenced by Scott Walker and Roy Orbison.
Download "Precious Sight"

Mazarin / The Double / The Ark @ Spaceland [$8] - Indie psych pop in the same vein as The Flaming Lips. Pitchfork compared them to the Shins, Postal Service, Neutral Milk Hotel, etc. By the way, tickets for the Flaming Lips at the Hollywood Bowl are currently on sale. The Double is on Matador and plays more experimental music. The Ark is an "operatic glam rock" band from Sweden. The LA Weekly called them a Swedish gay Darkness. They're just in the U.S. to do SXSW, LA and New York.
Download The Double's "Idiocy"

Gus Black @ Largo - The local singer-songwriter celebrates his new album with this release party. It's for adult, KCRW fans.

Say Hi To Your Mom @ Silverlake Lounge [$8] - Brooklyn singer-songwriter who Pitchfork hates (they think he's too self-consciously hip? interesting) but other people like.
Download "The Forest Scares the Hell Out of Me"

Jose Gonzalez / Minor Canon @ Jensen Rec Center [$10] - See Monday's description. Minor Canon is the guitarist (Paul Larson) from Dntel's new band.

The Presets / Battle / Forward Russia @ Cinespace [$5] - See Monday's description. The Presets are touring with Ladytron and have an electro dance sound.

Wednesday 3/22/06
Band of Horses / Earlimart / Josh Ritter @ Fold/King King [$10] - I reviewed the Band of Horses' Sub Pop debut last month and highly recommended it. Pitchfork reviewed it today and gave it an 8.8/10 (a very high rating). They've got heavily reverbed vocals and an indie rock sound I love. Comparing them to My Morning Jacket and the Shins is fair. Earlimart is a well respected Silver Lake band that I believe is now on Dangerbird Records. Josh Ritter is a folky singer-songwriter from Idaho who's huge in Ireland and plays bigger venues than this on his own. I'll be there.
Download Band of Horses' "The Funeral"
Download Josh Ritter's "Girl In the War"

Tapes 'n Tapes @ Spaceland [$10] - If you don't see them on Tuesday you've got to see them here. See Tuesday's post for some MP3s.

Snow Patrol @ Troubadour [SOLD OUT] - I became aware of them about the same time as Coldplay. For some reason Coldplay blew up and they didn't. I guess they're a little more indie and kind of split the difference between Sebadoh and earlier Coldplay.

The Sounds @ Fonda [SOLD OUT] - Swedish band that gets compared to Missing Persons. The first track on the new record is decent, but I couldn't get into the rest of it.

Thursday 3/23/06
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ El Rey [SOLD OUT] - One of my favorite records last year. Tonight will be the first time I see them, but I hear they're fantastic. The LA Weekly seems to think they suck but they probably have their heads up their asses and want to recommend The Subways tonight.
Download "Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood"
Download "Over and Over Again (Lost & Found)"

Arab Strap / His Name Is Alive @ Knitting Factory [$14] - Arab Strap are Scottish heartbreak rockers.

Islands / Metric @ Henry Fonda [SOLD OUT] - I saw Metric open for Broken Social Scene a few years ago at the Sivlerlake Lounge. The guys in Islands were also in the Unicorns. I wasn't a big Unicorns fan but their new record is a fun listen (it comes on April 4). They play eccentric indie pop.

Helios Creed @ Silverlake Lounge [$8] - "legendary proto-industrial guitarist"

The Subways @ Troubadour [SOLD OUT] - British teenagers with serious major label publicity money behind them. I prefer to call them this year's Vines (and I mean that in the worst possible way). They'll be at Coachella too. The LA Weekly thinks you should go.