Live Music Options: 8/16/10 - 8/22/10

Al Green Plays the Greek on Saturday

I made it out to the Bootleg last Wednesdy for Division Day and The Joy Formidable. The venue was packed. Division Day sounded great, making me wish they'd start playing a lot of shows again. The Joy Formidable quickly won over the crowd. The band was tight, loud and Ritzy (the lead singer) had a ton of charisma. Also caught the very tail end of These United States at Spaceland on Friday night.

Monday 8/16/10
[Pick of the Night] White Arrows / The Tyde / Rumpringa / Twins @ Spaceland (Free) – White Arrows continues their residency, joined by a very solid lineup tonight.
[Recommended[ Blind Boy Paxton / Frank Fairfield @ Redwood
[Recommended] Twilight Sleep / Useless Keys / Future Ghost / Castano @ Silverlake Lounge (Free) – Twilight Sleep continues their Monday night residency.
Fol Chen / Crocodiles / Light Pollution @ The Echo (Free) – Fol Chen is doing the Monday night residency this month. Their set tonight will be sung by people who responded to a Craigslist ad. Shenanigans.
Alice Russell / Ruby Friedman Orchestra @ Bootleg ($15) – Retro soul from Brighton
Abe Vigoda / Masters and Johnson / Naomi Punk / Dunes @ The Smell ($5)
Amos Lee @ Largo (Sold Out) – Blue Note recording artist.
Nneka / Pigeon John @ Troubadour ($15)
Skyline Electric / Ghost Animal / Total Fang / Max Beast @ Pehrspace
Pat Hull / Tin Can Notes / Boyz Skule and The Precious Medals / Elizabeth Devlin @ Echo Curio

Tuesday 8/17/10
[Pick of the Night] Cotton Jones / The Parson Red Heads / Roadside Graves @ The Echo ($10) – Ex-Page France frontman. The Parson Red Heads are moving back to Oregon soon, so see them while you still can. Roadside Graves are another interesting band on Aquarium Drunkard’s Autumn Tone record label.
Adam Haworth Stephens (of Two Gallants) / Papa / The Holloys @ Spaceland ($10) – Well liked Saddle Creek artist out of San Francisco.
Darker My Love / Wounded Lion / My Pet Saddle @ Bootleg ($14) – I haven’t heard their new album (it’s apparently a pretty big stylistic shift), but Darker My Love has always put on a good live show.
Brandon Flowers @ Troubadour (Sold Out) – Lead singer of the Killers.
Ted Nugent / Val Halla @ House of Blues Sunset ($43) – Motor city mouthpiece
The Prids / Space Waves / Lotan Boba @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Rachael Yamagata / Gary Jules @ Hotel Café
Fat Worm of Error / Tusk / Kit / Foot Village @ The Smell ($5)
Loch & Key / Castano @ 3 Clubs
Dunes / Naomi Punk / Masters and Johnson / Geffika @ Echo Curio
The Neighborhood Bullies / Johnny Cheapo / The Bloody Brains @ Redwood
John Mellencamp @ Grammy Museum (Sold Out)
OTEP / The Birthday Massacre @ Key Club ($17 - $35)

Wednesday 8/18/10
[Pick of the Night] Neville Brothers / Preservation Hall Jazz Band / Dirty Dozen Brass Band / Trey McIntyre Project @ Hollywood Bowl ($1 - $129) – Good night of New Orleans music
[Recommended] Adeline & the Philistines / Rad Cloud / Old Toy Trains @ Echo Curio
Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs (w/ guest Mike McCready of Pearl Jam) / Jack Littman @ Spaceland ($10) – McCready from Pearl Jam will sit in on a few songs with one of his favorite Seattle singer-songwriters.
Childish Gambino @ Bootleg ($12) – Donald Glover of the enjoyable TV show, Community. He raps over tracks by Sleigh Bells and Grizzly Bear
Low End Theory: Mestizo / Patchwork Pirates @ Airliner ($10)
Young the Giant @ Detroit Bar ($5)
Gentlemen Jesse and his Men @ 5 Star Bar
Jamie Drake @ Hotel Café
Cassorla / Eugene and the 1914 / Butterfly Child @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Chill Pittman / Aaron Childs / Taylor Simonee @ Troubadour ($12)
Rodrigo y Gabriela / Xavier Rudd / Izintaba @ Greek Theatre ($30 - $45)
The White Buffalo @ The Mint ($15)

Thursday 8/19/10
[Pick of the Night] Betty LaVette / Tom Nolan Band @ Santa Monica Pier (Free) – Shows start at 7:00 PM; The Detroit soul singer reinterprets British Invasion songs on her LP (out on Anti-).
Woven Bones / Animal Style / Catwalk / The Meek @ Spaceland ($8) – Austin band that recently signed with Hardly Art (the Sub Pop offshoot).
Childish Gambino @ Bootleg ($12) – Donald Glover of the enjoyable TV show, Community. Advance tix are gone so either go on Wednesday or get there extra early.
Wallpaper / Chain Gang of 1974 @ Pershing Square (Free)
Crowded House @ Amoeba (Free) – 7:00 PM show
Prima Donna / Lords of Altamont / Emily’s Army / All Seing Eyes @ Troubadour ($12)
Jogger / Matthewdavid / Sun Araw / M. Geddes Gengras @ The Echo ($10)
Aures / Greg Davis / Ezra Buchla / Mirror to Mirror @ Echo Curio
The Color Turning / International Tennis Champions / Manouk @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones @ House of Blues Sunset ($30)
Ballerina Black / Mad Planet / Brandon Reynolds & This Afternoon @ 3 Clubs (Free)
Pleasure Kills / Facts on File / The Mormons @ Redwood
New Orleans Bingo! Show w/ Vaud and the Villains @ The Mint ($15)
Wolfmother / J. Roddy Walston / The Business @ House of Blues Anaehim ($28)

Friday 8/20/10
[Pick of the Night] Ha Ha Tonka / Old Californio / Smith and Pyle @ Spaceland ($10) – Good alt-country/Americana lineup. Ha Ha Tonka’s on the Bloodshot label.
[Recommended] The Warlocks / Summer Darling / New Mexico @ Grandstar in Chinatown ($10) - Advance tickets HERE

[Recommended] Comedy Night: Matt Braunger / Kumail Nanjiani / Pete Holmes / Joselyn Hughes @ Origami Vinyl (Free) – 7:00 PM; Matt Braunger’s a funny guy. Check him out. Comedy Central pressed his comedy album on vinyl.
[Recommended] Dengue Fever @ Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena (Free)
Chief / Grouplove @ Bootleg ($14) – The Santa Monica band celebrates their record release (out on Domino this Tuesday). Also at the Sunset Junction on Saturday.
Rufus Wainwright / Martha Wainwright @ Greek Theatre ($26 - $46)
John Legend & the Roots @ Troubadour (Sold Out)
Pictureplane / Blessure Grave / Puro Instinct / Tearist @ The Echoplex ($5)
Night Horse @ Vacation Vinyl (Free) – 7:00 PM
Crowded House / Lawrence Arabia @ Club Nokia ($45 - $65)
MNDR / Chain Gang of 1974 / Kisses @ The Echo ($10) – Electro-pop
Scars on Broadway @ Avalon ($25)
Sarah Silverman @ Largo ($25)
Hepcat / Inciters / Boss Harmony @ The Music Box ($22) – Ska/rocksteady fans
Yonder Mountain String Band @ House of Blues Sunset ($25)
Captain Ahab / Pretty Birds That Kill / Kid Infinity / Kevin Blechdom @ The Smell ($5)
Liz Pappademas and the Level / Carlee Hendrix and the Whole Earth Catalog @ Pehrspace
Gabriel Sullivan and Taraf de Tuscon / Alec K. Redfearn / Orion Rigel Dommisse @ Echo Curio
Tijuana Panthers / The Franks @ Redwood Bar
Memphis Rascals @ The Mint ($10)
Bad Brains / Sunken City @ House of Blues Anaheim ($25)
LA Guns / Faster Pussycat / Lukas Rossi @ Galaxy Theater

Saturday 8/21/10
[Pick of the Week] Al Green / The Pointer Sisters @ Greek Theatre ($30 - $110) – Soul legend.
[Recommended] Sunset Junction: Ghostland Observatory / Miles Davis Bitches Brew Remix / Dam Funk / Everest / Dawes / Chief / Eastern Conference Champions / Pollyn / Andy Clockwise / Sweaters / Moses Campbell / Chris Pierce / Saint Motel / The Ohio Players / Evelyn Champagne King / Bad Brains / Fishbone / Big Daddy Kane / B-Side Players / Shiny Toy Guns @ Sunset Junction ($20) – There may not be the huge indie band to get you excited, but it’s a solid, diverse lineup.
[Recommended] Le Switch / Spirit Animal @ Downtown Independent Theater – Playing after the screening of The Scenestars
DJ Quik @ Key Club ($30 - $35)
The Bellrays / Angus Khan / The Superbees @ Spaceland ($5)
Ben Sollee / Sara Lov @ Bootleg ($15)
Nortec Collective: Bostich Fussible and Mr. Vallenato @ California Plaza (Free)
Paul F. Tompkins Show @ Largo ($25)
Gentle / Woom / Former Ghosts / Robedoor @ The Smell ($5)
LA Font / Rabbits Running / The Body Parts / Kazai Rex / Heather Woodbury’s As the Globe Warms @ Echo Curio
Dave Mathews Band @ Verizon Wireless ($40 - $70)
Nortec Collective / Mr. Vallaenato / Ceci Bastida @ California Plaza (Free)
Cat Party @ Origami Vinyl (Free) – 7:00 PM

Sunday 8/22/10
[Pick of the Night] Sunset Junction: Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros / The Whispers / Mayer Hawthorne / Fitz & the Tantrums / Lee Scratch Perry / Meshell Ndegeocello / Sam Sparro / Crystal Antlers / The Deadly Syndrome / Red Cortez / Leslie & the Badgers / Wheelhouse / Gwendolyn & the Goodtime Gang / Infinity @ Sunset Junction ($20) – If you’re only going one day, Saturday’s a little stronger overall
Jeans Wilder @ Downtown Independent Theater – Playing after the screening of The Scenestars
Rabbits Running / Parade of Lights / Radio Freq @ Spaceland ($5)
Part Time Punks: Cure Tribute Nite @ The Echo ($5)
Agent Ribbons / Voice on Tape / The Finches / The Sister Ruby Band @ Bootleg ($8)
John Mayer / Owl City @ Hollywood Bowl ($40 - $90) – This is a lease event so be careful what you try to take in.
Crooked Still @ McCabe’s ($17.50)
Boats / The Clorox Girls / The Enlows / The Meka Leka Hi’s / Cum Stain @ Echo Curio

Beach Boys Tribute This Saturday

I forgot to mention this Beach Boys tribute in my weekly post. Presented by When You Awake with proceeds benefit Sweet Relief. Many great bands will be appearing, see the poster for details.

In honor of the event, here are ten lesser known Beach Boys' songs (I don't think any of them were released as singles) I'd love to hear tackled at the tribute:

1) “Only With You” from Holland: I’m a sucker for Dennis Wilson’s songs. He was a hard living guy who struggled with alcohol and had extremely questionable taste in friends but then he’d write some of the tenderest ballads. In other hands, these lyrics might come off as being corny or cliché, but the vulnerability in his vocal performance totally sells it. Not as beloved as “Forever,” but well worth repeated listenings.
2) “She’s Goin’ Bald” from Smiley Smile: This might be the weirdest, most sinister of all Beach Boys’ songs. It starts off innocently enough, but then about 50 seconds in, starts to get weird. The band incorporates an Eltro pitch shifter (pretty groundbreaking in a pre-digital world – Kubrick used around the same time for HAL in 2001) on an otherwise innocuous “Sha Na Na” harmony section then gets really creepy with “she drew a comb across her scalp…” But then the band/song returns to normal and they finish out the song like it started.
3) “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” from Pet Sounds: One of Brian’s most personal and moving songs. Co-written with Tony Asher.
4) “Feel Flows” from Surf’s Up: Don’t sleep on Carl Wilson’s integral contributions to the Beach Boys. The reverse echo on Carl’s vocals sort of makes the song for me. You probably remember it from Cameron Crowe’s film, Almost Famous.
5) “Hold On Dear Brother” from Carl & the Passions – So Tough: For this record, The Beach Boys added two South Africans, drummer Ricky Fataar (to replace the injured Dennis Wilson) and singer/guitarist Blondie Chaplin (to fill in for the mostly absent Brian Wilson). Fataar and Chaplin wrote this country rock gem with Chaplin singing lead vocal. On a side note, I’ve been getting back into Blondie’s first solo album lately too.
6) “Aren’t You Glad” from Wild Honey: It’s impossible for me to be in a bad mood when I hear this song. Fantastic, upbeat love song written by Brian and Mike Love. Vocal duties shared by Mike, Brian and Carl.
7) “All I Wanna Do” from Sunflower: As completely unlikable Mike Love is, he did have some great contributions to the Beach Boys. This is one of them. That’s Mike on lead vocals, the song was co-written by Mike and Brian.
8) “Wake the World” from Friends: I can’t even tell you how often I wake up on weekend mornings with this song in my head (and it usually means I’m going to have a great day). It was apparently the first song Al Jardine and Brian wrote together and Carl and Brian share singing duties.
9) “Girl Don’t Tell Me” from Summer Days (and Summer Nights!): Brian’s attempt to write a Beatles song. The Shins covered this the last time I saw them and the Vivian Girls recently released it as a B side.
10) “Baby Blue” from L.A. (Light Album): I wanted to highlight another underappreciated album (although this one’s very hit or miss), so I picked this Dennis Wilson track. This is another soft, piano driven song featuring Dennis and Carl on vocals. It was co-written by Gregg Jakobson and Karen Lamm.