Blame the “Hunger Games” franchise, but the sweet, innocent, mandolin-wielding sextet Run River North (f/k/a Monsters Calling Home) gets a little Battle Royale in their music video for “Fight to Keep.” Also starring actor-comedian Diedrich Bader (“The Drew Carey Show,” “Outsourced”), the Zak Stoltz-directed clip begins with a simple camping trip. It’s when they huddle around […]
By now you might know the backstory of Run River North, the folk-pop sextet formed in the Valley and first known as Monsters Calling Home. The members’ common bond was that they were all progeny of families who had moved from Asia to southern California and attended the same church. And they sang some pretty […]
Run River North, the San Fernando Valley-bred ensemble who last fall enjoyed a “Candid Camera” moment and ended up performing on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” has signed to Nettwerk Records. Formerly known as Monsters Calling Home, the folk sextet of singer-guitarist Alex Hwang along with Daniel Chae, Jennifer Rim, Joe Chun, John Chong and Sally Kang […]
Tijuana Panthers, the Long Beach trio whose exhilarating blend of surf-garage-punk has inspired mosh pits all over SoCal, will be joining the growing roster of artists on the L.A.-based imprint Innovative Leisure Records. No word on the band’s release plans yet, but they have an album completed and since releasing their album “Max Baker” in […]
‣ Sufjan Stevens, who just released a five-EP set of holiday music titled “Silver & Gold,” brings his Christmas tour to the Fonda Theatre. Actually, he’s calling it “The Sirfjam Stephanapolous Christmas Sing-A-Long Seasonal Affective Disorder Spectacular Music Pageant Variety Show Disaster,” and it features a five-piece backing band that includes Rosie Thomas, Nedelle Torrisi, […]
Incoming: Aerosmith, Justin Bieber, Islands, Lost Bayou Ramblers, Bruce Springsteen, Sufjan Stevens, No Doubt, Carole King, ZZ Top, Flogging Molly, Monsters Calling Home, How to Dress Well, the Starvations, Shuggie Otis, Paul Banks, Tom Morello, Seven Saturdays, Streetlight Manifesto, Donnie and Marie Osmond, the Polyphonic Spree, the Lonely Wild, Bloc Party, David Bazan, Kopecky Family […]
It started last spring, when L.A. folk ensemble Monsters Calling Home made a video for their song “Fight to Keep” inside their Hondas (a Fit and a CRV). It was clever and sweet and DIY. And it got the attention of Honda’s marketing minds, who saw an opportunity and drove off with it. Under the […]
Plenty of choices for your Saturday: ‣ HARD Summer 2012 continues with Skrillex, NERO, A-Trak, James Murphy, Datsik, Amtrac and more at the Los Angeles Historic State Park. ‣ More than 30 bands perform at the 3rd New L.A. Folk Fest at Zorthian Ranch, including Beachwood Sparks and Sea of Bees. ‣ Raphael Saadiq and […]
Mother’s Day fun: ‣ Tonight’s edition of Grand Ole Echo at Echo (5 p.m., free and all ages) features a lot of familiar L.A. talent. On the bill: Wheelhouse, the project from Brian Whelan (pictured; he’s played with Apex Manor/the Broken West, Mike Stinson and Tony Gilkyson, among others); Jackson Tanner (new band featuring Olin […]
The L.A. indie-folk ensemble Monsters Calling Home started with a song by the name, penned by Alex Hwang about a conversation between an American son and his immigrant father. As folk music has the power to do, it transcended cultures and generations – at least Hwang’s pals thought so. With three friends he met at […]
