A massive Saturday, day and night: ‣ It’s a free day in the park at the La Brea Tar Pits, where the annual Tarfest offers a musical lineup of Blondfire, So Many Wizards, Soft Swells, Helena, the Makepeace Brothers and the Steelwells, as well as live painting, sculpture and family activities. ‣ Mexican singer-songwriter and […]
A superb Saturday for all tastes: ‣ Nineties alt-rock innovators Swervedriver swing through L.A. for its first show since last summer, this one at the Key Club; Adam Franklin and crew have some new songs, including a made-for-a-movie track called “Good Times Are Hard to Follow,” sung in the movie by Robert Caryle (“Trainspotting”). Heaven, […]
Jenn Wasner and Andy Stacks couldn’t have placed themselves farther apart Thursday night, but even from opposite ends of the Troubadour stage, the duo known as Wye Oak connected for an hour of electrifying shoegaze and folk-pop. Their set-up was spare, with Wasner minding her guitar and pedal board on the right, while Stacks took […]
It’s a mighty good Monday (if you ignore the weather): ‣ At the Satellite, where Chasing Kings’ residency roars into its fourth week, U.K. quartet the Chevin makes its L.A. debut. That’s the video for the title track from the West Yorkshire lads’ 2011 EP, “Champion,” above. Tonight’s bonus – you also gets sets from […]
The midweek mix: ‣ Dinosaur Jr. visits the Music Box to play its 1988 album “Bug” in its entirety, part of a show that will include a Q&A conducted by Henry Rollins and an opening set by Pierced Arrows. ‣ Alt-rockers Standing Shadows, who since October have released two in of a trilogy of EPs […]
Tonight’s touts: ‣ Morrissey plays a sold-out show at the Shrine Auditorium. ‣ It’s a night for some very good shoegazer rock at the Satellite – Tennis System (that’s their video for “Arcane,” above) celebrates the release of its album “Teenagers,” with United Ghosts (marking the release of their “Holes Into the Night” 7-inch) and […]
The Californian’s self-titled debut album is a bit like surfing on a moonless night – the riffs and melodies concocted by singer-guitarist John Graney tug like currents, pulling you … where? Under? Ashore? Into a game of beach blanket bingo with Ian Curtis? Maybe all three at times. Here, the slow-mo album closer “Girl in […]
Hey. It’s Wednesday. ‣The project Papa (fronted by the handsome dudes above, Girls drummer Darren Weiss and pal Daniel Presant) bring their indie rock grooviness to The Bootleg Theater for an EP release show of “A Good Woman Is Hard to Find” [Check their video for “I Am The Lion King.” ] Also on board […]
[We approach the Sunset Junction-less weekend with plenty of music options. Meanwhile, if you didn’t catch it, the Times had a story today on the aftermath …] Your Friday fodder: ‣ That Dog reunites for the first of two-sold-out shows at the Troubadour. You’d be surprised (or possibly not) how many “new” co-ed bands around […]
[Happy August – where is this summer going? – and happy birthday to Dhani Harrison. Good shows tonight? We’ve got a few …] Monday madness: ‣ Singer-songwriter Robert Francis, largely out of the L.A. eye (but big in Europe) since releasing “Before Nightfall” in 2009, is back with a new batch of songs and this […]
