Thursday, September 29, 2011
On September 30th we are presenting the first of a series of "Best of 2011" shows to finish off the year. While it may seem a bit early for such a night, we've been anxious to put this show together all year, and the sooner we do so the sooner you'll become as big a fan as we are of these bands.
Pageants made their debut show on the very first day of 2011 at pehrspace. A room full of friends became a room full of fans to a band that we instantly believed would be one of the best new bands of the year. And we were right. Back when lead singer Rebecca Coleman was just an ivory tickler for Avi Buffalo she was already somewhat flirting with her own musical aspirations with her first band familyblankets. That band only played a handful of shows before evolving into what would become Pageants. Nine months later and a bit of a transition to a duo, the band has finally finished a new EP that's already gotten played on KCRW before it was even properly pressed. No release date has been set but you'll want to like/follow them asap to get in early when it does.
If you would have told us in 2001 when we saw our favorite band Imperial Teen at the Troubadour open for White Stripes that ten years later in 2011 we'd be presenting shows with pop genius Will Schwartz's new band Psychic Friend, we would have said, "pshaw" (which was our catch phrase in 2001). We still believe "Ivanka" to be one of the most brilliantly-written songs in music history and evidently with songs like "Once A Servant," none of that brilliance has gone away. The band is coming off a wonderful four-night stand at Casey's, playing quite a few new tunes we're anxious to get on record.
March 2005 was a memorable month. Steve Fossett circumnavigated around the world non-stop in his now-famous GlobalFlyer. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa testified under oath about taking steroids. And The Lovemakers played one of the best Monday residencies Los Angeles has ever witnessed at Spaceland. Sadly, the band disbanded in 2010 with Lisa Light moving on to form the electro-pop/ultra-sexy dance frenzy of El Elle. The band made their L.A. debut earlier in the summer playing intimate party gatherings and we couldn't wait to get them for this show, especially now that we can now call Ms. Light an Angeleno -- the singer recently moved to the City of Angels (finally!). El Elle's debut album is available on CD, white vinyl, and digital here. Get it.
Having just hosted The Nocturnes semi-official record release just a month ago at pehrspace, it might be a bit overzealous of us to be doing another one so soon but, to be honest, we couldn't/wouldn't wait a minute longer to do just that. If you were at that show, then you already know you saw something special that night, a sound so massively beautiful those hymnal melodies probably haunted your dreams that night. Their new record Aokigahara is available now through Bandcamp.
So this is show #1 of our "Best of 2011" series. We're so honored all of these bands could take the time to play our little big show and we really hope you'll be able to trek out to the westside to see this one. Be sure to RSVP to get on the $5 list.
September 30, 2011
Los Angeles Loves...
THE NOCTURNES - 11pm
EL ELLE - 10pm
PSYCHIC FRIEND - 9pm
PAGEANTS - 8pm
DJ CRQLR (DJing in between bands)
The Central
1348 14th St.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
21+/7:30pm
$7 or $5 with RSVP through Facebook or message us or the bands (RSVP by 5pm 9/30)
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
It's been a few years since we presented a show at the good ol' Silverlake Lounge and we were due for a comeback. Yes, the venue where Los Angeles first saw the likes of Rufus Wainwright, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Silversun Pickups, Mirah, Mono, and hundreds of other bands (that now play places a little bigger than the 200-capacity room) still doesn't get the respect it deserves. But if there was a show to give that Salvation sign a chest bump, this would be the one...
Instead of a residency this month, The Fold has opened up Monday nights for a variety of bands to come hither and we set our sights on one with Exitmusic written all over it. Since our farewell show with the band in 2009, they've signed to Secretly Canadian and Windish Agency and are set to release their new EP "From Silence" on 10/4. And, oh yeah, there's also the fact that millions of people have now fallen in love with a one Angela Darmody. But above it all, this duo simply creates some of the most hauntingly evocative music we've ever heard. With their glacial wall-of-sound dirges, the band transcends an icier atmosphere than any chillwhatever band you're listening to right now. In truth, they are one of only a handful of New York bands that really matter at the moment and they're only coming back to Los Angeles for a miniscule amount of shows. You don't want to miss any of them. Pre-order the new EP at Insound. The band also plays The Echo on 9/20.
Making this night even more fantastical are Jack and White, Peachy Keene, and Rainman. Jack and White, who made their L.A. debut with us only a few months back, have been coasting down the countryside of California promoting their new "Gemini" EP (available here). It's pop/folk made sunny side up and we wouldn't want any other way. Much like Peachy Keene who recently released a digital EP of their own with "When We Collide" and are looking for a little help via Kickstarter to get it into your paws. Not to be outdone, Long Beach indie folk darlings Rainman recently released their self-titled debut of raw, twangy tunes that has certainly perked up our ears lately -- especially "Come Down" featuring our future wife-in-law Jenny Long.
We highly recommend attending this show. No need to RSVP on pesky Facebook events or check in via Foursquare for silly badges. Just go already...
September 19, 2011
Los Angeles Loves...
EXITMUSIC - 10pm (Brooklyn, NY - Secretly Canadian)
JACK AND WHITE - 9pm
PEACHY KEENE - 11pm
RAINMAN - 12am
Silverlake Lounge
2906 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
FREE/9pm/21+
FACEBOOK EVENT
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
We're so happy to be asked back to co-present another Tuesday residency at The Central and if you look at these lineups it's pretty easy to see why. Not only do we get to see new rising stars The Dead Ships every week, but each night is loaded top-to-bottom with some of our favorite bands in town.
First song into a set The Dead Ships recently did at the Silverlake Lounge, we were instantly pulled from the shooting-the-shit section of the venue (out front) to the front of the stage where we thought we heard a band channeling Two Gallants via Sam Cooke. We might be wrong about that comparison, but not that wrong. Nevertheless, in less than a year, The Dead Ships have quickly taken their undeniably energetic indie rock meets classic garage soul to the ears of Angelenos that have already had their mouths watered by bands like Fitz & the Tantrums, Hanni El Khatib, and other locals re-imagining good ol' Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll. While going retro won't necessarily blow minds, the greatness of their songs just might. And there's a simpleness to their guitar/drums configuration that almost seems to bring out the emotion of the songs even more, as in "Loveless, Come Lately" and "Canyon" (off their recently released EP available for free download here). Also, get ready for a new 7" due at the end of the month, which we'll be celebrating with a release show on their residency finale 9/27 (also 9/30 at Origami Vinyl).
Let's make this the best back-to-school night residency of all time...
Los Angeles Loves...
September 6, 2011
THE DEAD SHIPS
LE BLORR
LOVERS DRUGS
THE NAYSAYERS
September 13, 2011
THE DEAD SHIPS
NICK JAINA
BLUE GREEN GRAY
GHIANT
September 20, 2011
THE DEAD SHIPS
MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY
ONE TRICK PONY
MAHONEY & THE MOMENT
LA FONT (DJ Set)
September 27, 2011
THE DEAD SHIPS 7" release
THE ROSS SEA PARTY
GENTLE HANDS
POST-WAR QUARTET
The Central SAPC
1348 14th St.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
FREE/8pm/21+
FACEBOOK EVENT
