Weekend Live Music Options

Friday 6/16/06
Juana Molina / Jose Gonzalez / Psapp @ El Rey ($21) – All three of these artists performed on Morning Becomes Eclectic this week. Juana Molina’s a critically acclaimed, Argentinean singer-songwriter who recently released her third album. Her music is pretty, electro-folk and she sings in breathy, Spanish. Jose Gonzalez is a Swedish singer-songwriter. The Onion compared him to Nick Drake and Elliott Smith but there’s a little more James Taylor in his voice. He plays finger-picked, acoustic music. He’s also all over that new Zero 7 record. Psapp is a British electro-pop band.

Mstrkrft @ Little Radio ($10) – Wanna see somebody DJ stuff by Wolfmother, The Kills, Annie and Metric? Me neither. The dude from She Wants Revenge is DJ’ing too.

Tom Verlaine @ Roxy ($20) – I love the first Television record as much as the next guy and I even have the other ones and a few Verlaine solo records.

Radio 4 @ Troubadour ($12) – If you like bands that are heavily inspired by the Clash and Gang of Four, then you might like these guys.

The Fiery Furnaces @ Fonda ($18) – High concept and instant headaches.

Tapes’n’Tapes / Cold War Kids / Figurines @ the Echo ($12) – Advance tickets for this one sold out very quickly, so you better get in line now. The bloggers broke them, now there’s a backlash. I like a few tracks on the album, but they were terrible at the Knitting Factory (could have been an off night?). At times they’re herky jerky and at times they’re like mellow Broken Social Scene. XL will re-release their debut album soon. Download “Omaha” Cold War Kids have grown on me (his voice takes some getting used to). They’re one of the local bands with a really good shot at blowing up (along with The Little Ones and Silversun Pickups). Download “Hospital Bed” Figurines are Denmark’s answer to Built to Spill. Download “The Wonder”

The Good Listeners @ Tangier ($10) – Mellow and dreamy local band that gets compared to Eno.

The Sound of the Urchin / Crescent Moon / The Spores @ Spaceland ($10) – A night of silly rock. Two of the bands have Ween & Moistboyz connections.

The Switch @ Mr. T’s

Saturday 6/17/06
Forward Russia @ Troubadour ($10 adv / $12 dos) – British band that’s big over there. Don’t think they’ve released an album here? The All Music Guide says they’re like Bloc Party. Download “Four” (if this song is any indication, I hope to never hear these guys again)

The Riverboat Gamblers / Priestess / The Bronx @ Alex’s Bar ($15) – Denton’s The Riverboat Gamblers have a great front man who’s of the more energetic guys you’ll see (we’re talking hanging on the rafters energetic). I’ve seen them a couple of times and walked away very impressed. I’ve seen Priestess three times in the past six months (including last night) and they’re still entertaining. I even really like their extended drum solo. Their album finally got national distribution last Tuesday. They play heavy rock and draw lots of Motorhead comparisons. The Bronx are a local punk band.

Seu Jorge / Sea Wolf @ El Rey ($25) – You saw Seu Jorge singing those Bowie songs in Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic. Sea Wolf is Alex Church from Irving’s other project.

Mickey Avalon @ Roxy ($12.50) – LA Weekly cover boy and candidate for worst rapper ever. He personifies everything people in the rest of the country hate about LA. And why would a club charge $12.50? Round it up or down.

Karl Blau @ Knitting Factory ($6) – K Records recording artist. Download “Into the Nada”

Sunday 6/18/06
Dirty Little Secret / Division Day @ Little Radio Warehouse (Free) – Barbeque, dunk tanks, double dutch and indie rock. Little Radio consistently puts on cool events.

The Riverboat Gamblers / Priestess / The Bronxx @ Glass House ($12) – Pomona’s not as far as you think and it feels like you’re on vacation in a small college town. The Glass House doesn’t serve liquor so you have to run across the street and do tequila shots and chug beer. As an added bonus, the crowd is decidedly non-LA.

Stiff Little Fingers @ House of Blues ($15.50)

Lords @ Spaceland ($8) – Hardcore metal.

Aaron Kyle @ Tangier ($6) - Acoustic