A packed house at the Echo on Tuesday witnessed a night of exuberant pop-rock headlined by Glacier Hiking [that's Ross Golan, top] and hosted by Buzz Bands LA. Kitten kicked off the evening, with 15-year-old frontwoman Chloe Chaidez affirming her band as a contender; Haim rocked the room with its outsized songs and rocker-girl attitude; Glacier Hiking's sing-along anthems had the crowd bouncing; and Go West Young Man debuted a fresh batch of piano- and horn-infused pop. Above, a gallery by photographer Laurie Scavo takes you through the evening. Thanks [...]
Chloe Chaidez, lead singer for the newbie rock quartet Kitten , sounds like an old hand. She makes her days of singing and playing bass in the cover band Wild Youth seem like ancient history. Back in the day, she'll tell you, her dad tried to foist Morrissey's music on her, and only recently has she come around to Moz. She sings of "Catholic Boys" and "the reasons I can't love" with breathy world-weariness. Ms. Chaidez is 15. A freshman in high school. "It's hard to imagine that it was just over a year ago [...]
Buzz Bands LA emerges from a brief winter hibernation to invite you to the Echo on Tuesday, Feb. 23, for a night of melody and merriment featuring Glacier Hiking , Haim , Kitten and Go West Young Man , along with selections from DJ Boutros Boutros-Rock. It's an 18+ show, and gets under way at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 at the door, but only $5 if you RSVP to buzzbands(at)gmail(dot)com . Watch my Twitter @krbronson for new about special promotions. Here's what's in store — I'll have more on all [...]
Another bountiful night in the city, starting at the Bootleg Theater (2220 Beverly Blvd.), where Great Northern , Xu Xu Fang and Obi Best come together to play a benefit for the children's cancer charity the Pablove Foundation . The guys from Division Day will DJ. ... At the Knitting Factory, Jonah Matranga reunites Onelinedrawing and opens a three-night stand during which he intends to play all of Onelinedrawing's catalog. ... In conjunction with Artwalk downtown, there's a great lineup at the Garden Party at Edgar Varela Fine Arts (542 [...]
Since its release early this year, the self-titled debut from Go West Young Man [ review here ] has stuck to me like summer sweat. It's old-school pop-rock with energetic, new-school twists, and I've recommended it to many who think the current indie landscape tends toward the tuneless. Here is Arvel Chappell's video for the "The Covinas," a nifty summertime southern California pop song if there ever was one. ||| Live: GWYM performs July 16 at the Silver Factory Studios in downtown L.A. Bookmark [...]
[Have a safe holiday weekend. And raise a glass for birthday boy Robbie Robertson on Sunday.] Today: 'Tis the season ... for music outdoors. Among the many offerings around SoCal is a free concert series at Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena , where French songstress Emilie Simon [pictured] performs at 8 tonight. She's also at the Bootleg Theater on Sunday. ... There's Night 2 of the Hollywood Bowl July 4th Fireworks Spectacular too, with John Fogerty and the L.A. Phil. ... Also: [...]
[Happy July ... and happy birthday, Debbie Harry.] Dangerbird Records artists Eulogies [pictured] and Bad Veins head up the bill for a night at the Echo that benefits the Pablove Foundation [see yesterday's post]. ... At the Troubadour, Bill Callahan (ex-Smog) is joined by Drag City labelmates Bachelorette . ... Excellent lineup of local indie-pop bands at the Silverlake Lounge, including Go West Young Man , Marvelous Toy and the French Semester . ... Soul merchants Fitz and the Tantrums [...]
[Birthday cheers go out to Art Alexakis (on Sunday) and to brother of Buzz Bands, Aaron (today). Have some fun, guys ...] Tonight: It's another busy Friday for shows big ( Leonard Cohen , first of two nights at the Nokia Theatre) and small ( Seasons celebrating the release of its "Spring" EP at the Echo, along with Karin Tatoyan and the Hectors ). ... At the Echoplex, it's critically acclaimed sound collagist Flying Lotus , and to complete a busy evening [...]
[Happy birthday to Ian Brown of the Stone Roses ... when's that next show, dude?] Tonight: Thurston Moore is playing the Smell, and here's hoping the regulars get in. ... Big rawk shows all over: At the three-day tattoo to-do Musink at the O.C. Fairgrounds, the headliners the next three days are Rev. Horton Heat , Atreyu and Danzig ; Pennywise rocks the Glass House; the Dropkick Murphys and Civet play a sold-out Palladium; After Midnight Project [...]
[Happy birthday to Yoko Ono, 76 years young. Not that she isn't getting birthday greetings from all over ...] Mystery Jets , the Syd Barrett-worshiping, 1980s-channeling quintet from London, are newly aligned with Rough Trade Records. Their "Twenty One" [video for "Half in Love With Elizabeth," above] was No. 8 on NME's top albums of 2008, though it was barely a blip on anybody's radar here, except maybe the Anglophiles who will visit Spaceland tonight for Club NME. ... Andrew Bird , with Loney Dear [...]
Today's free and legal mp3 downloads: Go West Young Man : "Chinatown" [mp3] from Go West Young Man other Go West Young Man posts at Largehearted Boy Henry's Funeral Shoe : "Henry's Funeral Shoe" [mp3] from Everything's for Sale other Henry's Funeral Shoe posts at Largehearted Boy Lal Meri [...]
[Catching up on a batch of album releases by SoCal artists ...] Go West Young Man , "Go West Young Man" (today, One Cell Records ) — Melody merchant Damin Suarez (ex-the Fictions) has crafted an homage to classic pop that pushes the same buttons as the likes of Elvis Costello, Ben Folds and a host of '60s and '70s hitmakers who used [...]
The Voyeurs (Highland Park, CA) [MP3] The Voyeurs - Things People Say It's a season of change and last night the Echo was full of it. The Voyeurs and Go West Young Man both gave birth to new albums and cemented their status as two bands to watch in the burgeoning east side music scene. The show drew a large crowd who came early for energetic fervor of Les Blanks and stayed well after
Go West Young Man - Calypso - Luxury Wafers Sessions from Luxury Wafers on Vimeo . Crisp compelling piano drives and underlies the tunes of this LA-area indie band, Go West Young Man. They're waily, croony, screamy, crunchy, bouncy, stylistically complete with groovy writhing wah guitar riffs. Their general sound is Elvis Costello doing the tango with Joe Strummer of The Clash. Calypso, set in home digs of Silverlake gets burly tenor sax. Condescending wears a jazzy petticoat. And when was the last time [...]
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