Saturday, October 01, 2005
If you terrorists think you 0wned September, Mother Nature just kicked your ass. With hurricanes, fires, and the Yankees AND Red Sox making the playoffs, the month was probably one of the worst since... well, last September (when the Yankees and Red Sox made the playoffs). Thank goodness we always have music to save the day... Brian Wilson was at the Bowl singing his perfectly crafted pop tunes earlier in the month. Very heartwarming performance that helped attendees briefly put our minds in a good place -- even though we all giggled liked school kids everytime he faked playing keyboards and read lyrics from a laptop. He can do that. He's Brian Wilson... Also helping to ease our worries were a couple of ladies nights at Tangier. Coincidentally, one lineup included my ex-girlfriends Carla Werner, Amy Cooper, and Petracovich performing. Contrary to rumors, headliner Lisa Papineau and I never dated. But, boy, what a night to celebrate. SF-based Petracovich stopped by L.A. to celebrate the release of her new album, We Are Wyoming. SF-transplant Cooper celebrated the debut of her new band (which includes Joey Galvan from Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash). Lisa celebrated her long overdue return to an L.A. stage after too many years being elsewhere (old fans of Pet and Big Sir rest assured, the lady still rocks harder than most). And, Carla... well, Carla is a celebration unto herself... A week later, more lovely ladies dazzled us with pop hooks and beauty ballads. Sara Radle played her first L.A. show as a local. Very nice of her to move here after my pleading last year. This was a solo show but just wait until she gets a band together. Also making sort of her debut was Lauri Kranz's new outfit Snow & Voices. Very pretty but not totally convincing despite Josh Grange's hypnotic guitar work. The Sweet Hurt's performance would also have been a debut if I hadn't snuck into their practice a few days before. Pray she continues this acoustic duo stuff a little more -- although we musn't forget she also rocks... Meanwhile, after picking up some new treats at Sea Level, walked into the Echo to see The Megahurtz open a Monday night. A little more onstage action is all that's need for this trio and they'll be headlining a night of their own soon. The songs are so there. Toys That Kill was the night's headliner. I've never been too into them but their following seems to be growing so what do I know. The Oohlas who I've always thought should write more synth songs are getting dangerously close to being L.A.'s new indie-pop darlings. Work Sucks played as well. They're a rantcore band from Long Beach that scream and riff about how much they hate their jobs. On paper it sounds interesting. On stage it's a disaster.
The Oohlas - "Gone" (MP3)
The Oohlas - "The Cahuenga Shuffle" (MP3)
The Oohlas - "The Ballerina Blues" (MP3)
The Oohlas - "Rupert Krikor Chang" (MP3)
The Oohlas - "Slow Mo Disco and Refuse" (MP3)
The Oohlas - "The Rapid" (MP3)
