The Figat7th Downtown Festival closed out six weeks of free concerts on Friday night in harmonic fashion. Sibling-fueled folk-pop outfit the Belle Brigade, appearing in support of their second album “Just Because,” brought a wry exuberance to the downtown plaza, with the twining vocals of drummer Barbara Gruska and kid brother/guitarist Ethan elevating their music […]
Happy FYF Fest Day: ‣ FYF Fest, the annual summer festival curated by Sean Carlson, kicks off the first of two days at the LA Sports Arena & Expo Park. Today’s lineup features:Â Phoenix, Interpol, Julian Casablancas, Grimes, Little Dragon, Caribou, Future Islands, Tycho, Slint, Against Me!, Albert Hammond, Jr., Real Estate, Run the Jewels, Ty […]
Not unlike that first F*ck Yeah Fest show I attended (The Willowz, 2006, Jensen Rec Center, ears still ringing), this year’s FYF Fest will feel like that raging basement party hosted by the loveable neighborhood nerd with polypolar tastes in music. Only now that guy, having done pretty well for himself, has some famous friends […]
Wake up. It’s Friday and Benjamin Booker has the blues-rock tunes to knock you out of your stupor if necessary. The 25-year-old rocker, who just released his debut on ATO Records, will pounce on your ear drums if you let him. Tunes like the urgent “Have You Seen My Son” and the rollicking “Violent Shiver” […]
As the production mastermind behind The xx, Jamie Smith, better known as Jamie xx, has expanded his production skills beyond simply the band in the last few years. He has remixed songs from Adele, Holly Miranda, and Radiohead, to name a few, as well as 2011’s “We’re New Here,” a remix album featuring re-worked tracks […]
No one’s pounded their chest this hard since Celine Dion’s last performance of “My Heart Will Go On.†That its until Future Islands’ Samuel Herring – donning a button-down shirt tucked in to a nice pair of slacks – walked onto the stage at the Fonda Theatre on Wednesday night. He passionately stared into the […]
Hey, anybody up for a festival this weekend? Or two? I’ll try to keep the energy level high today on the Buzz Bands LA Show, kicking off at 11 a.m. on the The Independent FM. Join me to get a taste of new music from Dorothy, Cobalt Cranes, Hobart W Fink, Sneakout, Castro, Stacy Clark, […]
Orange County quintet the Devious Means look like a lot of other indie-pop quintets – four guys and a gal, taking a perfect band photo – and on their first two EPs they sounded like a lot of ther indie-pop quintets too: Serviceable melodies, boy/girl vocals, big choruses and all. But where other artists are […]
We’ve made it to Friday, everyone – now what? ‣ Now this is an amphitheatre show – Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden at the Verizon Wireless in Irvine. ‣ Celebrating the semicentennial of the Fab Four’s famous visit to L.A., the Hollywood Bowl plays host to “The Beatles’ 50th at the Hollywood Bowl,” featuring with Dave […]
Seldom have we come across band that less looks the part as Sweet Bump It, the Echo Park-based septet who appear to have just walked out of an Adrienne Rich study group. You know what they say about looks, though. Fronted by diminutive shredder-in-training Nicole “Paco” de Leon and co-founded by Jenna Eyrich, Sweet Bump […]
