Friday, August 28, 2009
People who live in the Valley are used to this kind of heat and smoke-filled sky. We used to call it the Warm Blanket, but have since opted for The Smother since it's like being smothered... by a warm blanket. AKA it's hot. But you know, that's what we sign up for living in Los Angeles, which this week alone saw not-so-secret shows by M.I.A., Wolfmother, and The Dead Weather, plus Billy Corgan plays Open (a book store in Long Beach the size of a kitchen cabinet) tonight. But these are just the little things that make living in Los Angeles glamorous to tourists. What we're more interested in are...
Tonight, the wonderful and amazing Dirt Dress performs on "Demolisten." Ariel Pink opens for Gang Gang Dance at the Troubadour. Jim Bianco and others at the Hotel Cafe. Slang Chickens opens for Ted Leo & the Pharmacists at The Echo. Hecuba, Lucky Dragons, Beast Cop, and others at The Smell. The Warlocks, Gliss, and others at Spaceland. Blue Jungle, UV Lights, Okie Dokie and others at L'KEG. Falsetto Teeth, Video, and Rats at pehrspace. Tom Freund, Jess Klein and others at McCabe's. Golden State, The Ruse at the Viper Room. Tenacious mother effing D at g'net.
Saturday, we're presenting a show at Silver Factory Studios. Come by later if you've got plans for early shows. Like Lucky Dragons opens for Akron/Family at the El Rey. Katy Perry and The Bird and the Bee at the Palladium. Rocco Deluca & the Burden at Saint Rocke. Princeton celebrates the release of their 7" single at pehrspace with Fol Chen and special guests. The Warlocks, Useless Keys, and Black Apples at Spaceland. Thee Makeout Party, Davila 666, and others at Alex's Bar. Shurman, Tony Gilkyson, and others at Redwood. Patton Oswalt laughs it up at g'net. And don't forget the opening reception for Mew's "Mewsuem: A Sonic Experience" at Zune.
Sunday, Davila 666 and Moses Campbell do a breakfast show (although technically it should be brunch) opening for Ted Leo & the Pharmacists. Kissing Cousins celebrates the release of their beyond wonderful record Pillar of Salt at Origami around 7pm (FREE). Moving Units opens for The Faint at Club Nokia. The Mars Volta at the Palladium. And The Parson Red Heads, Francisco the Man, and others at Alex's Bar.
Last note about the show on Saturday: Make sure you RSVP to any of the bands or us if you're thinking about coming. First 10 people get a gift bag thingie containing the new record. What? Did we just way we're doing gift bags? Yeah... and also there's a dress code of nothing but cummerbunds, ladies get in free before 4am - Tuesday, bottle service for douchebags who still think bottle service is not douchebaggy, and Cobrasnake will be snapping party pix. That's a joke. And a horrible one. The gift bag thingie is not a joke though. In fact, we've strategically placed this at the bottom of this post to hide that we're doing this gimmicky promotional stunt. But, actually, since the first ten people will probably be the bands and us, this is actually win-win. Sweet.
Picture above is from Audrey Napoleon's new weekly at the Dragonfly last Monday. If there is any band that could get us to a club we were once banned from some 11 years ago, it's Odd Modern, even though we were perfectly aware that we are seeing them tomorrow. That wooden wall/bar thing at the back of the room is still there. We once cried tears of joy watching Rilo Kiley, The Mash Notes, and Phantom Planet there. Anyway, we were also scouting that new electro girl-girl duo The Next Door Neighbors who we also caught a bit of last weekend in Long Beach. Not bad. Watch out for them.
