As darkness fell (and, as you’ll see, my photographic capabilities diminished), I looked in on Shiny Toy Guns, the L.A.-based electro-rock act whose sophomore album, “Season of Poison,” is coming out in November. There’s a lot of smoke-and-mirrors in STG’s radio-friendly rock, and even more bluster. At times I’ve thought there isn’t a single song […]
Blake Hazard has a smile that could ward off a thunderstorm, and when the Submarines singer exhorted the crowd to imagine plants and animals springing up amid all of downtown’s ugly concrete, it didn’t even come off as sappy. The music she makes with husband Jack Dragonetti is like having a date night in the […]
“They’re like, euphoric.” So said one L.A. tastemaker during the Arcade Fire-meets-Polyphonic Spree delirium summoned by Silver Lake sextet the Afternoons. The ominous clouds even parted for this offshoot of local indie-pop favorites Irving, whose big anthems can alter the foulest of demeanors. Dual drummers, keys, horns and the Steve Scott-Brian Canning harmonies make for […]
What Saturday’s third LA Weekly Detour Festival lacked in wallop it made up for in sizzle. The 11-hour shindig covering four blocks surrounding City Hall in downtown L.A. lacked the big, unifying headliner such as 2006’s Beck, and at some junctures it almost felt like promoter Goldenvoice was running a tryout camp for its spring […]
The 11th Desert Hearts festival again lived up to its aspirations to be an immersive experience. From the eye-popping visuals to the ancillary activities to the fashion and to the DJ sets, a unique feeling one oneness prevailed.
Also on Sunday: Leslie Stevens, Anna Wise, Cory Wells, I See Hawks in L.A., the Goon Sax, T.S.O.L., Mighty Diamonds
Great Thursday night ahead, let’s make it count: ‣ Failure‘s hotly anticipated reunion show goes off at the El Rey Theatre. ‣ Brooklyn trio Hospitality [see our January post] visits the Echo behind their new album “Trouble,” with Air Waves and Matt Kivel opening. ‣ The Animation Block Valentine’s Day Showcase, which fuses live music […]
There was a smattering of “Club Rockville” signs around the Echoplex last night, left over from the daytime filming of the forthcoming Internet series “Rockville, CA.” Josh Schwartz’s fictional look at the Echo Park music scene promises to be intriguing, at the very least, but it ain’t the real thing, baby. And last night would […]
LCD Soundsystem’s 80-minute headlining appearance set a high bar for Day 1 of This Ain’t No Picnic in Pasadena. Despite best efforts from the likes of Le Tigre, Jungle, Earl Sweatshirt and Courtney Barnett, not everything cleared it.
Incoming: Beyond Wonderland, 808s and Heartbreaks Fest, “I’ll Always Love My Mamma,” Darkness Calling Festival, EXTC (XTC’S Terry Chambers & Friends), GZA, Snow Patrol, Thievery Corporation, AFI, Alt-J, Portugal. The Man, Rosie Flores, Two Friends, DeVotchKa, Monolord, Cherry Glazerr, Aries, Deap Vally, Dodie, Meiko, Wilderado, Genesis Owusu, GospelBeacH, Edgar Everyone, Night Talks, Geese, Alaska, Damon Turner, Mindi Abair, Lala Lala, The Districts, Molly Burch, The Morning Yells, the Ophelias, Storefront Church, Love of Lesbian, Katzù Oso, Baroness, Maylee Todd, Baird, the Armed, Kaina, Alms, Sisters of Black Mountain, Modern Time Machines, Fiona Grey, Trainwreck, VR Sex, Emily Rose & the Rounders, Anna Shoemaker, Urns & Argyles, Tigercub, the Bites, Iron Point, Heavy Velvet, Gustaf, Purple Witch of Culver, Halo Kitsch, Natalie Bergman, Princess Goes To The Butterfly Museum, Lasers Lasers Birmingham, Johanna Samuels, Austin McCutchen and the Western Stars, Austin Leonard Jones, Harry Katz & the Pistachios, Kilo Bravo, Plastic Horseshoes, Gilby Clarke & the Keef Richards, Classless Act and the Darbies, Jet Lemons, Brett Fromson Trio
