With its ticklish guitar line and groovy groove, “I Am the Lion King” – the first single from Papa – has plenty of spring in its step, even if the band’s creator, singer-drummer Darren Weiss, might not. Weiss, the Encino native who formed the band with pal Daniel Presant, is also the drummer for Girls, […]
This qualifies as a Monster Monday: ‣ Bon Iver plays the first of two L.A. dates, tonight at the Shrine, and equally good, for our money, are tourmates Other Lives, whose album “Tamer Animals” will end up near the top of BBLA’s 2011 lists. ‣ James Blake and Teengirl Fantasy do a second night at […]
Mountains of midweek show options: ‣ Big day for L.A. legends the Go-Go’s: This afternoon they’ll be inducted into the Greek Theatre’s Rock Walk, and then they will celebrate Belinda Carlisle’s birthday. Then – and what better way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of their album “The Beauty and the Beat” – […]
Mainstream music under the stars, and the red-hot residencies: ‣ Maroon 5, Train and Gavin DeGraw do the Hollywood Bowl. ‣ Sugarland, Sara Bareilles, Casey James team up at the Greek Theatre. ‣ The hottest free show in town? It certainly has been every Monday this month – Crystal Antlers close out their residency at […]
Your choices for Monday fun: ‣ Vanessa Carlton, her fourth album “Rabbits on the Run” on the way due July 26, visits the RSVP-only It’s A School Night at Bardot. Electric Guest also performs. ‣ Thao & Mirah, their self-titled album on Kill Rock Stars winning a lot of indie hearts, visit the Hotel Cafe. […]
Faster than you can say “Maybe ‘Black Jesus’ isn’t such a great band name,” Los Angeles sextet Races are signing to Frenchkiss Records, the New York City-based imprint that has been home to bands such as Local Natives, the Dodos, the Hold Steady and Passion Pit. A formal announcement is expected today. With one 7-inch […]
[In response to the inevitable questions I am asked at shows – What have you heard? What are you listening to? What’s new? – today I embark on something called Random Dispatches … the contents of my notebook, spilt.] ‣ Lavender Diamond’s recent show at the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts was a revelation, […]
[Happy birthday today to Rivers Cuomo … Here’s some June un-gloom:] Top stops on a Monday: ‣ Brendan Perry’s “Ark,” his first solo album in 11 years, is just out, and the ex-Dead Can Dance frontman (pictured) visits the El Rey Theatre supported by Cocteau Twins co-founder turned film composer Robin Guthrie. ‣ Florence + […]
Silver Lake Jubilee‘s second day went off without a hitch, and attending the festival on Sunday seemed to be the perfect way to wind down before the work week ahead. The food trucks were still ready to serve, local music traveled through the air and the sun and breeze made the festival seem like a […]
This installment of our intermittent mixtapes, The Buzzsicle, Vol. 13, is devoted to the weekend’s second annual Silverlake Jubilee, which gives you a lot of bang for 5 bucks. I’ve compiled an hour’s worth of music from 18 of the artists playing the festival. Enjoy. ||| Download: The Buzzsicle 13 (84 MB) After the jump, […]
