Live Music Options: 4/12/10 - 4/18/10

Pavement Play the Fox on Thursday and Coachella on Sunday

Last week I saw the first night of Helen Stellar's residency. They're sounding really good these days. On Thursday night, I saw The Minor Canon's last show before an extended "hiatus" and they sounded great. Then on Friday I went to see the Knux at Spaceland. High energy good times and a different vibe inside Spaceland.

Even if you're skipping Coachella this year, some great shows throughout the week...

Monday 4/12/10
[Pick of the Night] Helen Stellar / The Postelles / The Constellations / Healamonster & Tarsier @ Spaceland (Free) – There was a good crowd for week one of Helen Stellar’s residency. Tonight should be even bigger. The Postelles are a New York buzz band with a debut album coming out in June (they go on at the 9 PM slot). Albert Hammond Jr. of the Strokes produced their first single. The Constellations are a “Southern Gothic” band out of Atlanta with a major label debut coming out in June. They’re playing both Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza.
[Recommended] Walking Sleep / Union Line / Goldenboy / Big Whup @ The Echo (Free) – Walking Sleep (f/k/a Flying Tourbillon Orchestra) continues their residency.
Crystal Castles @ Echoplex ($20)
So Many Wizards / Halloween Swim Team / Corridor / Lobstin @ Silverlake Lounge (Free)
Seaspin / Hocus Pocus (aka Dios) / The Damn Sons / The Franks @ Hotel Café ($7)
Butch Walker and the Black Widows / Eulogies / Woolen @ El Rey ($24)
Doug Benson @ Largo ($20)
Nuexpe / The Monolators / The Seizure / Nana & the Happy Cats @ Pehrspace

Tuesday 4/13/10
[Pick of the Night] Public Image Ltd @ Club Nokia ($45) – Thinking about seeing them over 20 years ago makes me feel old (but I was a kid). Wonder how old that makes Johnny feel?
[Recommended] Retribution Gospel Choir / Funeral Club / Stevenson Ranch Davidians @ Spaceland ($10) – Retribution Gospel Choir is Alan Sparhawk’s (Low) other band. It’s a bit more amped up. Good stuff.
Serena Ryder / Cuff the Duke / Ryan Star / Darren Criss @ Troubadour ($12)
Bill Frisell Trio with Jason Moran & Kenny Wollesen @ Largo ($25 - $35) – Two shows 7:30 and 10:00
Toy Robot / The Good Cheer / Daniel Brummel @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Truth & Salvage Co. @ Hotel Café
Psychedelic Horseshit / Wounded Lion / Resdiual Echoes / Suededriver @ Echo Curio
Death Angel / Arsis @ The Roxy (Free w/ RSVP)
Dillinger Escape Plan @ The Glass House ($15)
The Constellations @ Cinespace

Wednesday 4/14/10
[Pick of the Night] The Ruby Sons / Toro y Moi / Pepper Rabbit @ The Echo ($10) – The Ruby Sons are New Zealand psych pop. Toro y Moi are a big blog buzz band along the lines of Washed Out and Neon Indian.
[Recommended] Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs / The Hi-Hos / Shirley Rolls @ Spaceland ($14) – You might remember Holly Golightly from Thee Headcoatees or her collaboration with the White Stripes or maybe her own prolific solo career???
[Recommended] Vampire Weekend / Abe Vigoda @ Fox Theater Pomona (Sold Out)
[Recommended] Deerhunter @ The Glass House ($12) – Bradford Cox seems to be growing into his early hype.
Craig Wedren / John Carpenter @ Bootleg ($10)
Run Through the Desert / Kingsize / Adrenalin Traffic @ Troubadour ($8)
Them Crooked Vultures / Middle Class Rut @ Club Nokia (Sold Out)
Mad Professor @ Echoplex ($10)
A Fine Frenzy @ Largo ($20)
Nick Jaina / Eliza Rickman / Liz Pappademas @ Echo Curio
Low End Theory: DNAEBEATS / Tokimonsta / Heru @ Airliner ($10)
Silent Star / Actress / The Passports / Ballerina Black @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Foster the People / Imagine Dragons / Moving Picture Show / Eastern Conference Champions / Gossip Tree @ Viper Room ($10)
George Thorogood @ Grammy Museum ($20)

Thursday 4/15/10
[Pick of the Week] Pavement / The Middle East @ Fox Theater Pomona ($41) – As a huge Pavement fan, I can’t wait to see them play all the hits.
[Recommended] Willie Nelson @ Grove of Anaheim ($65 - $85) – Always a good time.
[Recommended] Caetano Veloso / AM @ Greek Theatre ($45 - $75) – Brazilian legend.
[Recommended] She and Him / The Chapin Sisters @ The Glass House (Sold Out) – Zooey and Matt…
[Recommended] Autolux / Maus Haus @ Detroit Bar ($12)
Taylor Swift @ Staples Center (probably sold out)
The Specials @ Club Nokia (Sold Out) – Never really gave them a chance, but they’re legends.
David Allan Coe @ Brixton South Bay – Strange venue, but pretty good sound.
Buffy Sainte-Marie / Jonathan Wilson @ Bootleg ($20) – Native American folk semi-legend.
Willowz / Mini Mansions / Lionize / Phathom @ Spaceland ($8)
Rocco Deluca @ Hotel Café
The Daylights / Brothers at Sea / Red Letter Agent / Pawnshop Kings @ Troubadour ($12)
Black Church / I.E. / Ghost to Falco / Ezra Buchla @ Echo Curio
We Are the World / Sir Heffington’s Fingered @ The Echo ($8)
Lady Antebellum / Kris Allen @ The Wiltern
The Tuffingtons / Warlords of Rock’n’Roll Thunder and Lightning / Lineas Albies @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Astra Heights / Red Arrow Messenger / The Good Listeners @ Bordello ($8)
Bad Religion / the Vandals @ House of Blues Anaheim
Jake Labotz @ Redwood Bar
The Victorians / The Secret 6 / The Steelwells @ Alex’s Bar ($5)

Friday 4/16/10
[Pick of the Night] Coachella: Jay-Z / LCD Soundsystem / Them Crooked Vultures / Vampire Weekend / Public Image Ltd. / The Specials / Grizzly Bear / Passion Pit / Echo and the Bunnymen / Fever Ray / She and Him / Lucero / Gil Scott-Heron / Sleigh Bells and more @ Empire Polo Club in Indio
[Recommended] Autolux / Franz Nicolay @ Bootleg ($12) – Strong live band.
[Recommended] Les Blanks / Shirley Rolls @ Casey’s Downtown – A bit more low key than Coachella.
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony / Too Short / Slick Rick / E-40 / Mack 10 @ Gibson Amphitheatre ($25 - $75)
Andy Clockwise @ Hotel Café
Taylor Swift @ Staples Center (probably sold out)
Repeater / Telomere Repair / Greater California / Bella Novela / The Soft Hands @ Alex’s Bar ($5 donation to Ice Cream Man)
Mau Maus / Legal Weapon / Stains / Symbol Six @ Echoplex ($14)
Eagles @ Hollywood Bowl (probably sold out)
Whisper Kid / Odnila G / Blue Tape Red Tape / White @ Echo Curio
Mark Sultan / The Black Apples / Dirt Dress / Wounded Lion @ Spaceland ($10) – Garage punk semi-legend. Dirt Dress is another one of the emerging LA bands that people are really digging right now. They’ve got kind of a lo-fi Velvet Underground vibe.
Long Way Home / Fight Friendly / Slant / Safe Haven / No Prospect Of An End @ Troubadour ($12)
Micachu (DJ set) / 22-20s @ The Echo ($10)
Sarah Silverman ($25)
Houston Jones @ McCabe’s ($20)Arlo Guthrie @ Royce Hall ($28 - $58)
Bad Religion @ House of Blues Sunset
Moses Campbell / Processors / Ostrich Eyes / Tinylittle @ The Smell ($5)
George Thorogood / Surf Asylum @ House of Blues Anaheim
Former Ghosts / Winged Things / Whitman / Bestial Mouths @ Synchronicity

Saturday 4/17/10
[Pick of the Night] Coachella: Muse / Faith No More / MGMT / The Dead Weather / Hot Chip / Devo / Dirty Projectors / Z-Trip / The XX / Edward Sharpe / Flying Lotus / Girls / Beach House @ Empire Polo Club in Indio – The weakest lineup is always Saturday. They know people will show anyway.
[Recommended] Radar Brothers / Timonium / Nopal / Young Hunting @ Echo Curio – Still loving the new Radar Brothers. They’ll be at the Echo in a couple of weeks too.
Jj / Deloreon / Bachelorette @ Echoplex ($14) – Some good buzz for Sweden’s jj and New Zealand’s Bachelorette, but I haven’t made time to listen to either…
Buffy Sainte-Marie @ Topanga Community House
Baaba Maal @ Royce Hall ($26 - $56)
Bestial Mouths / Trudgers / Chum Out @ Synchronicity
Eagles @ Hollywood Bowl (Beaucoup)
Franz Nicolay @ Home Restaurant ($10)
Bad Veins / City Center / A Hundred Days / The Globes @ Spaceland ($7) – Bad Veins are a Cincinnati band signed to local label, Dangerbird.
Fair to Midland / Karnivool / Something to Burn @ Troubadour ($15)
The Paul F. Tompkins Show @ Largo ($25)
Steve Forbert @ McCabe’s ($20)
SISU / Katie the Pest / Maraca Mouths @ Pehrspace
Nevenka @ Bootleg ($10)
Bad Religion @ House of Blues Sunset
The Crystelles / On the 5 / So Many Wizards / Rademacher @ the Smell ($5)

Sunday 4/18/10
[Pick of the Night] Coachella: Gorillaz / Pavement / Atoms for Peace (Thom Yorke) / Pheonix / Spoon / Sly Stone / De La Soul / Julian Casablancas / Gary Numan / Charlotte Gainsbourg / Jonsi / Sunny Day Real Estate / Yo La Tengo / Deerhunter / Big Pink / King Khan & the Shrines / Little Boots / Owen Pallett / Local Natives / The Soft Pack / The Middle East @ Empire Polo Club in Indio – Sunday always has some good talent.
[Recommended] Dum Dum Girls / Ramona from Nite Jewel / Tan Dollar @ Echo Curio
[Recommended] Love Is All / Weave! / Love Grenades @ The Echo ($10) – Loads of Swedes in town this week.
Parade of Lights / Brothers at Sea / Dave Smallen @ Spaceland ($5)
Mary McCaslin / Rick Shea / Fur Dixon & Steve Werner @ McCabe’s ($15)
Male Bonding / Dunes / Protect Me / Back to the Future the Ride @ The Smell ($5)

Live Music Options: 3/15/10 - 3/21/10

Efterklang Play Spaceland on Tuesday

I managed to catch some good live stuff last week. The highlight was The World Record and Radar Brothers at some art space in Highland Park. The World Record is one of the most underrated local bands. Ross Flournoy and Brian Whelan (both formerly of the Broken West) joined the band for this show. And it was the first proper Radar Brothers' show with the new lineup (Dan Iead of the Broken West and Brian Cleary and Stevie Treichel from the Movies) great stuff. The guy dancing by the door with his shirt off was pretty amazing. What did he mean by "Get used to it?"

This week's the music part of SXSW, so there's not a lot of choice each night, but the town's not shutting down...

Monday March 15, 2010
[Pick of the Night] She & Him / The Chapin Sisters @ Largo (Sold Out) – This will be a great place to see M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel (sit down and relax).
[Recommended] Andy Clockwise / Marvelous Toy / Le Switch / Matt Ellis @ Troubadour ($10) – Good local lineup. Le Switch is one of my favorite local bands.
[Recommended] Moonrats / Lawrence Arabia / Corridor / Skybombers @ Spaceland (Free) – Lawrence Arabia’s a New Zealand singer-songwriter by the name of James Milne (ex-Ruby Sons and Brunettes) who is definitely worth checking out for free. He’s influenced by the classic late-60s records that we all love.
[Recommended] The Delta Mirror / Pop Noir / The Cannoneers / Tigers Can Bite You @ The Echo (Free) – Pitchfork recently gave the Delta Mirror an 8 out of 10 for their track “He Was Worse Than the Needle He Gave You.”
Gonjasufi (DJ set) / Gaslamp Killer / Main Frame @ Echoplex ($10) – Gonjasfui recently got best new music on Pitchfork.
Seaspin / Crayon Fields / Washington / The Damn Sons / Blue Skies for Black Hearts @ Silverlake Lounge (Free)
Keith Jarrett @ Walt Disney Concert Hall ($43 - $150)
Halina Larsson / Nema @ Bordello ($8)
Possessed By Paul James @ Redwood Bar
The So So Glos / The Lovely Bad Things / Protect Me / Batwings Catwings @ Pehrspace

Tuesday March 16, 2010
[Pick of the Week] Efterklang / Sisu / 60 Watt Kid @ Spaceland ($12) – Efterklang is an interesting, Danish chamber pop band who are signed to 4AD.
The Swell Season @ Largo (Sold Out) – The stars of that film Once. Great venue to see them if you’re a fan.
Arrows @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club / The Veils @ House of Blues Anaheim
Reptet / Learning Music / Zoo @ Echo Curio
Spleen United / Terry Poison / Mad Planet @ The Echo ($8)
The Union Line / Arrows / The Ross Sea Party @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Knee High @ Bordello ($7)
Infinite Body / Earn / Jeans Wilder / Mirror to Mirror @ Synchronicity

Wednesday March 17, 2010
[Pick of the Night] Club NME: Les Blanks / The Blasting Company / Francisco the Man @ Spaceland ($5) – Les Blanks are one of the most underrated local bands. Great fun live.
[Recommended] Richard Thompson @ Grammy Museum (Sold Out) – Legend. Fairport Convention.
Ollin performing the Pogues’ “Rum, Sodomy and the Lash” / Brant Bjork @ The Echo ($12)
Brooke White / Nina Storey @ Hotel Café – Brooke White was on American Idol a couple of years ago.
Young Dubliners @ House of Blues Sunset ($33)
Low End Theory: Ras G / Pudge / Elusive @ Airliner ($10)
Kingsize / Dead Country @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Sick Puppies / Janus / Art of Chaos @ Troubadour ($17)
Bad Religion / Death By Stereo @ House of Blues Anaheim – I was a fan back in high school.

Thursday March 18, 2010
[Pick of the Night] Stephen Stills @ The Fonda ($48) – Legend. Buffalo Springfield. Crosby, Stills, Nash. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Stephen Stills (album). Manassas.
[Recommended] Wrong Way Driver / The Mallard / Names of Stars / Ovideo @ Spaceland ($5) Wrong Way Driver is Brian Thornell’s band (ex-Pine Marten, Earlimart, Radar Bros.).
Xiu Xiu / Tune Yards / Noveller @ The Echo ($12)
New Found Glory / Saves the Day @ House of Blues Sunset ($23)
The Watkins Family Hour @ Largo ($25)
Asbury / Family Album @ Spaceland ($5)
Ray Argyle / Feu / Confessions of a Corn Silo @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Bad Religion @ House of Blues Anaheim
Agent Orange @ the Key Club ($15)
Gajah / Sirah / Michael Nhat / Halloween Swim Team @ Echo Curio

Friday March 19, 2010
[Pick of the Night] High Places / Nite Jewel / Dunes @ The Echo ($10) – Indie electro duo on Thrill Jockey.
Diving Bells / Haunted Tiger / Castano @ Spaceland (Free)
Steep Canyon Rangers @ Largo ($25)
Noel Paul Stookey @ McCabe’s ($22.50) – Paul from Peter, Paul and Mary
Brian Fallon / Joe Sib @ Troubadour ($15)
Annie Bacon @ Room 5
Early Dolphin / The Spires / The French Semester @ Echo Curio
Lobstin / Jehovas Fitness / Watercolor Paintings / Ana Caravelle @ Pehrspace
Hop-Frog’s Drum Jester Devotional / Night at Noon / Amps for Christ @ Synchronicity

Saturday March 20, 2010
[Pick of the Night] Mike Watt & His Missingmen / Beta Wolf @ Redwood Bar – Still a powerful performer.
[Recommended] Gomez / The Little Ones @ El Rey (Sold Out) – The first Little Ones show in way too long.
[Recommended] Stephen Stills @ Grove of Anaheim ($40 - $50)
Devil Makes Three / Old Man Markley @ Troubadour ($15)
Shirley Rolls / Worker Bee / Hexham Heads / George Glass @ Spaceland ($5)
A Song Cycle Situation w/ Very Special Guest @ Largo ($25)
Beth Hart @ The Echo ($15)
Jean Baudin / Constant Collection / Devin Sarno & G.E. Stinson @ Bootleg ($10)
New Found Glory / Saves the Day @ House of Blues Anahem
Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba @ Getty Center (Free)
Let’s Paint TV / Flugeldar / Mannlicher Carcano @ Echo Curio
Dash Jacket / Wonder Wheel / Tan Dollar / Black Elephant @ Pehrspace
Talea: Electronic Operatic Sound Ritual @ Synchronicity

Sunday March 21, 2010
[Pick of the Night] Deakin @ Center for the Arts in Eagle Rock (Sold Out) – I’m sure the Animal Collective fans are psyched.
Groove Armada live set @ The Fonda (Sold Out)
Mia Doi Todd / Mauricio Takara / Rebekah Raff Harp Ensemble @ Bootleg ($10)
Tears for Fears / Wainwright @ The Wiltern ($50 - $60) – The Hurting’s a pretty good record and Songs from the Big Chair has a couple of jams.
Gomez / Family of the Year @ El Rey ($25)
Music For Animals / A Sound Aside / Black Mercies @ Spaceland ($5)
Frank Alpine / Killing Spree @ The Echo ($5)
Al Jarreau / Dee Dee Bridgewater @ Walt Disney Concert Hall ($45 - $90)
Frank Alpine / Killing Spree @ The Echo ($5)
Paul Wall & Chamillionaire @ House of Blues Sunset ($50)
The Whiskey Sour Radio Hour @ Largo ($25)
New Found Glory / Saves the Day @ House of Blues Anahem
Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba @ Amoeba (Free) – 7:00 PM
Electric Jellyfish / Black Apples / Young Hunting / The Coals @ Echo Curio

UPDATED: Recently Announced Live Shows

The (almost) full Hollywood Bowl schedule has now been announced. Notbale for my readers: Baaba Maal with Tinariwen and Fool's Gold, Goldfrapp, Fami Kuti, A Beatles Celebration, Smokey Robinson, Jimmy Cliff, Chemical Brothers.

And another Greek Theatre show was announced: Caetano Veloso on 4/15/10 (tickets on sale Saturday at 10 AM)

The Roxy
3/26/10: Hank III & Assjack

Largo
3/15/10: She & Him (call club)
3/30/10: Brad Mehldau (call club)

Gibson Amphitheatre
2/12/10: Haiti Benefit - It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia [live on stage] / Family Guy [Live] (Thursday at 10 AM)
3/12/10: Zak Brown Band (Saturday at 1 PM)

The Wiltern
2/2/10: Haiti Benefit – Tenacious D / Frank Black / James Mercer of the Shins / Bob Odenkirk of Mr. Show / Patton Oswalt (now)
2/25/10: Trailer Park Boys (Friday at 10 AM)
3/24/10: Devendra Banhart and the Grogs (Friday at 10 AM)
4/6/10: Five For Fighting / Matt Wertz (Friday at 10 AM)
5/22/10: The National (Friday at 10 AM)

Hollywood Palladium
3/31/10: Megadeath / Testament (Friday at 10 AM)

Spaceland
4/24/10: Shearwater (now at Ticketweb)

Hotel Café
2/20/10:Meiko (now)
2/24/10: Raul Malo (now)
2/27/10: Evan Dando (TBD)
3/5/10: Bell X1 (now)

Troubadour
3/12/10: The Happy Hollows (now)

The Glass House
3/12/10: Little Boots / Dragonette (now)
8/27/10: The Juliana Theory (2/4/10 at Noon)

Greek Theatre
8/7/10: Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band (TBD)

Hollywood Bowl
5/7/10: Peter Gabriel (TBD)
8/11/10: Buddy Guy / B.B. King (TBD)
8/18/10: The Neville Brothers / The Dirty Dozen Brass Band (TBD)
8/23/10: Dave Matthews Band (on sale 2/26/10 at 10 AM)
9/3/10 – 9/4/10: Earth, Wind & Fire (TBD)

Recently Announced LA Area Shows

She & Him Will Play El Rey in March

Staples Center
4/6/10: Alicia Keys (presale Friday at 10 AM, password = EMPIRE; on sale 12/20 at Noon)

Fred Kavli Theatre
3/29/10: Chicago (Friday at Noon)
8/5/10: The Golden Boys (Friday at Noon)

Club Nokia
2/26/10: Moe (presale Thurs at 10 AM, password = STICKS; Friday at 10 AM)

El Rey
3/3/10: Midlake (presale Thurs at 10 AM, password = DENTON; Friday at 10 AM)
3/8/10: Alesana (Saturday at 10 AM)
3/25/10: She & Him (presale Friday at 10 AM, password = VOLUMETWO; Saturday at 10 AM)

Gibson Amphitheatre
2/23/10: Mariah Carey (Saturday at 1:00 PM)

House of Blues Sunset
12/31/09: Erykah Badu (now)

Largo
2/6/09 – 2/7/09: They Might Be Giants (call club)

Echo
2/26/10: The Strange Boys / Chain and the Gang (TBA)

Echoplex
1/15/10: GZA (now at Ticketweb)

Spaceland
Mondays in January: Year Long Disaster
3/24/10: Garotas Suecas (now at Ticketweb)
4/13/10: Retribution Gospel Choir (now)

SXSW Journal - Friday

The Nobility

Day two of SXSW started off much better than the first. I got a pretty good night’s sleep at my friend Mike’s loft over on East Sixth. Seeing all the trendy lofts over there on the eastside kind of freaked me out, but I’m not on the Austin planning commission. My friend Foxy-Jerry and I rushed over to Kerbey Lane on Guadalupe for breakfast with a great band from Nashville called the Nobility. We walked in and I was greeted by the sight of 30 guys in Jayhawks sports attire (they were the KU baseball team). Very good start to the day. I’d hung out with Brian from the Nobility before, but it was nice to meet the rest of the guys. They did one of the least rock ‘n’ roll things a band could do – a massive tour of libraries and elementary schools. Isn’t that a great idea? Think about all the boring assemblies you went to as an elementary student – how great would it have been to see a rock ‘n’ roll show in your gymnasium? And why can’t I get really good migas in Los Angeles? They’re everywhere in Austin….. After that I drove over to South Congress to do some shopping and catch the Nobility’s set at Doc’s Motorworks. Picked up some great gifts at Parts & Labour and then walked down to Doc’s Motorworks. They were running really late due to Restaurant showing up around noon for their noon show and then setting up for about 35 minutes. At least they were fun. They play Little Radio a lot, so I was already familiar with them. I was able to watch some college basketball while I watched the band, which wasn’t all bad. The Nobility were up next and immediately impressed me. High energy and really damn tight. NPR profiled them yesterday in their Second Stage series, so hopefully more people get the pleasure of hearing them.

The Radar Bros.

At this point a couple of Austinite friends had joined me. They were down for something more mellow, so I recommended walking over to Home Slice to see AA Bondy. Aaron from Le Switch turned me onto him last year. He sounded great to me, but my friends are parents and needed to pick up their kids from day care. I bid adieu and heard some familiar sounds coming from behind Parts & Labour. I walked in and saw the Deadly Syndrome playing to about four people. I decided to head over the Hot Freaks party at the Mohawk. They had a cushy VIP lounge with free vodka, beer and tacos. I caught a little bit of Blitzen Trapper but mostly socialized. I seriously entertained the idea of trying to get into Jens Lekman at Club Deville or else calling somebody from Little Radio in hopes of bypassing the line and seeing Autolux. Ultimately I decided to do neither, instead meeting up with my friend Stamford and driving over to Waterloo Records. Great record store. All those gigantic condo developments really freaked me out though. I mean, 56 stories in Austin? Stamford and I drove over to Rudy’s Barbeque on Capital of Texas Hwy. So good. Why doesn’t anybody make barbeque like that in Los Angeles. After that Stamford and I drove over to a sports bar on South Lamar and watched the KU basketball game. We won. Fearing a repeat line performance of Friday night, I went for the sure thing on Saturday. Luckily it was a great one - the Merge showcase at the Parish. Some friends ushered me in through the back door in the alley. I was excited to see the Radar Bros., was very curious about She and Him plus I’d never seen Destroyer. The new Radar Bros. lineup is sounding great and the crowd was really into it. A few of us (and Drunk Dave) heckled them from the side of the stage. Jim, Aaron, Brian and Eric seemed to be having a lot of fun playing to the packed house. Next up was the Shout Out Louds. I’ve always enjoyed their music and they were really nice people. I occasionally think that maybe I should move to Sweden.

She & Him

The main attraction for most (I suppose) was She & Him. I hadn’t heard anything before the show, but I’m a huge fan of M. Ward’s guitar work. I’m sure a lot of horny indie rock dudes just wanted to check out Zooey Deschanel. (If you live in LA you might have already encountered her at Spaceland or out on the town.) Fortunately for everybody in attendance, she’s got a good voice and the music’s upbeat and a lot of fun (mp3). The final act was Destroyer. Dan Bejar’s songs on the New Pornographers albums are usually some of my favorites, but with Destroyer I’ve always been more of an appreciator than a fan. I was a little buzzed, but I thought he sounded good. Gotta pick up that new one….

After that I tried to catch some final act at Club Deville but Ross had dog shit on his shoes, the club kicked us out and I just couldn’t be in public anymore.

To be continued....