Midweek fare that’s better than fair: ‣ Australia-bred Andy Clockwise’s long-awaited album “The Socialite,” a genre-hopping collection of biting, wry and occasionally hilarious rockers, came out this week. [You can stream the album here.] His trio headlines the Troubadour tonight, with Robotanists and George Stanford supporting. ‣ The Airborne Toxic Event plays the third of […]
[April has come quickly, soliciting our ears and filling our concert calendars. On the occasion of a new week and Miranda Lee Richards’ birthday, here’s what’s up:] The best of Monday’s madness: ‣ Big evening at It’s a School Night at Bardot, where Crowded House frontman Neil Finn (who headlines the El Rey on Tuesday) […]
[Final installment of our L.A.-centric SXSW preview … Hello, Austin:] THE TENDER BOX If you like: Britpop, sharp-dressed lads from South Gate, Indie 103.1’s “The Red Zone” (R.I.P.) What’s up with them: The south L.A. quartet looked like surefire winners four years ago, when they self-released “The Score” and found their single “Mister Sister” getting […]
[Rod Stewart, Donald Fagen and Pat Benatar all celebrate birthdays today on this day of ones and zeroes, 01/10/11.] Tonight’s top touts, and there a lot for Monday: ‣ Two of L.A.’s top up-and-coming bands, the Belle Brigade and the Fling – who are sharing the residency this month at Spaceland – are joined tonight […]
When I saw Grouplove (then operating under the search engine-stumping moniker “Group”) play their first live show at El Cid, I had them pegged as the indie-pop response to Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. To a room filled with their well-scrubbed but dressed-down friends and a remarkable number of label A&R folks they seemed […]
[Happy birthday, Dexter Holland …] Show options on a light Wednesday: ‣ Annie Hardy and Giant Drag [pictured] are back – their October show at the Bootleg Theater offered only a little bit in the way of new material – and the trio (the band having added a guitarist) headlines the Satellite tonight with White […]
[Holiday parties, holiday shows, holiday shopping … Anybody else want to rewind to Thanksgiving and do the last couple weeks over?] My favorite holiday specials: ‣ Not only is the annual Christmas Sweater Festival a hoot because of all the cheesy sweaters that emerge, but it’s for a good cause – and we get to […]
Top 5 embarrassments of musical riches on a Monday: ‣ The title of the new album by the Greenhornes’ is “★★★★.” That’s moxie. the Cincinnati garage rockers, fronted by Craig Fox and including Jack Lawrence (Dead Weather, Raconteurs) and Patrick Keeler (Raconteurs), hit the Troubadour tonight. ‣ The killer residency lined up by IAMSOUND Records […]
For all the juice the supposedly revitalized, social media-fueled Sunset Strip is enjoying these days, it remains on many nights a living museum for rock clichés. Tired metal, un-ironic Spinal Tapestry, decadence-celebrating party rock and rap – often, the welcome mat is out, and the audiences here, straining to hear echoes of the days the […]
[Birthday greetings go out today to Paul Oakenfold …] Top 4 Monday night hangs: ‣ Physical Forms – a new five-piece featuring the Mae Shi’s Jeff Byron and Marcus Savino, Busdriver, Kevin Lenhart (Division Day) and Marty Sataman (Silver Daggers) – debut at Pehrspace. Got the lowdown from Byron himself. ‣ Strong finish to this […]
