Kevin Bronson on August 17th, 2019

5

“I’m on Nyquil,” Sarah Green told the crowd at American Barbershop, a pop-up venue at Echo Park Rising that had people tripping over barber chairs and each other to get close to her band, Spare Parts for Broken Hearts.

Everybody was on something Friday night at Echo Park Rising: pricey beer, food-truck fare, whatever was wafting through the air, free slices at just-opened Triple Beam Pizza (in the old Two Boots, next to the Echo) … and the unmatched high of having so many musical choices in the space of just a few blocks.

For Green’s part, she displayed little if any effects of whatever was ailing her. The grunge/metal/alt-rock/whatever-you-wanna-call-’em trio remain a force of nature, and Green is their heartbeat. “Big Win” is their latest single; they have a full-length in the works; and every time they’ve played recently around L.A., fans feel like they’re being let in on a secret. Here’s your next mandatory rock band.

Speaking of secret, SP4BH might have been slotted on a bigger stage at Echo Park Rising, but here they were in a barbershop. “There’s something a DIY space can capture that an intended venue can’t,” Green said. “It’s always a bit grittier and shittier; it’s where the underdog becomes a hero in its community. That’s what happened at the barbershop this weekend.”

It was one of many headliner-worthy performances given by non-headliners Friday. Those and other scribblings:

Best band to live up to their buzz

Kills Birds scorched the packed Echoplex with jagged guitars and the urgent incantations of singer Nina Ljeti. They played the singles that have been released so far and more. Their debut album comes out Sept. 20, and if half the people who were there Friday night show up Sept. 19 when they play the Bootleg Theater, it will be a hell of a show.

Best headliner-worthy set before the sun went down

Palm Springsteen have released but two singles, the stone-cold hits (at least we think so) “Hey There Cowgirl” and “Sister Sister.” But they have plenty of swagger, which may or may not be a total put-on. It’s best not to overthink the disco-rock quintet and just do what the shirtless man at the front at the Liberty Stage did — dance uninhibitedly.

Best performance by a band you only vaguely remember from 2013

There’s a longer story to be told about the Ceremonies — brothers Matthew, Mark and Michael Cook, joined by Kane Ritchotte — who were on the rise after they released their EP in 2013 and then seemed to vanish into thin air. But the packed crowd at the Semi-Tropic heard why the Ceremonies were a thing: propulsive and expansive songs with sweet sibling harmonies. More on them later. They’d be a good fit on a bill with Dear Boy.

Cheapest snack

Triple Beam Pizza opened Friday at the old Two Boots location next to the Echo and they were giving away free samples. The DJ working the sidewalk out front wasn’t bad, either.

Best corner bar with the makings of a music festival

You could diagram a pretty good festival lineup with the musicians who were at Little Joy for Livingmore — LP, Lauren Ruth Ward, Oddnesse and Kat Myers were just a few. Echo Park Rising is like that, fellow artists supporting each other. As for Livingmore, “We’re playing some of our new songs today,” singer Alex Moore said. “And if it is all new, it is all good.” Little Joy, with its ground-floor performance area instead of an actual stage, can be a challenge. “I’m feeling oddly nervous,” said Soraya Sebghati of Night Talks. “Maybe it’s because you’re all at eye level.” Now a duo instead of a four-piece, Yip Yops staged a spastic set with floor lights. Perhaps the highlight was Ariel Beesley, whose style matched her magnetic songs. “I’m born and raised in Los Angeles so it’s pretty cool to play Echo Park Rising,” said the singer-songwriter, who was asked afterward which of the songs in her set she hoped would make a lasting impression on the crowd. “‘Palm Springs,’” she replied. “Not just cause it’s my latest single, but because it was the first song I wrote with the intention of really finding love for myself within myself, instead of pouring it into people that don’t deserve it.”

Best three-year career arc

Speaking of headliners: “Hey, everybody,” said Henry Vargas, “we’re the Red Pears from El Monte. We were here like two or three years ago playing at 1 a.m. at Lot 1. We’re glad to be here playing the main stage today.” Oh, and R.I.P., Lot 1.

Best band playing a home game

SWIMM, which co-hosts their own festival at the venue in February, are no strangers to the Echoplex stage. As the packed room indicated, nobody’s tired of them. Joining them during their set of swoon-worth pop-rock were Joaquin Pastor guesting on one song and Lauren Ruth Ward on another.

Best pinch-hitter

Iress roared at the Barbershop as if Michelle Malley was intent on driving the bats out of a darkened cave. No broken right arm was stopping her. Sarah Tudzin of Illuminati Hotties filled in on guitar.

Friday night’s record-holder for hang time

That would go to Juiceboxxx, whose set in the Taix Champagne Room could be described as off hook, if there indeed was hook. He jumps real high and is crazy entertaining. And if it wasn’t bolted down, it might be going home with him. At last report, the chandeliers in the Champagne Room were intact.

Best timeout

Despite the limitations of a short set, Rosie Tucker took time out from the music at Sticky Rice to encourage activism on behalf of the homeless residents of the neighborhood. A coalition of groups called Services Not Sweeps (who’ve circulated the banner “Echo Park Rising Rent”) have challenged the City of L.A.’s “sweeps” — the relocation of homeless from their encampments in advance of the festival. Tucker was one of a large group of artists who signed on to support Services Not Sweeps’ agenda.

And two completely divergent moments at a bookstore

First there was Harmony Horizon, who was listed on the schedule as Herman Holiday and whose real name is Meghan Edwards. Her set at Stories was one of those riveting moments of relative quietude that you can say you shared with about 12 total strangers. And later, there was Justus Proffit, who started a mosh pit. Because there are not enough mosh pits in bookstores, you know what we mean?

Contributing to this report: Zane Roessell, Notes From Vivace and S.Lo