It's been a while since the Monolators told me people, "Don't Dance." The husband-and-wife fronted band has taken somewhat of a hiatus during the last few years, but that doesn't mean Eli and Mary Charkoff have completely cut themselves out of the scene. In fact, Highland Park's favorite DIY married couple are now offering two brand new songs on a special greatest hits cassette release titled "Ten Years of Tears" (out now on Vanity Projects ). With one side curated by drummer Mary and the other by lead guitarist and vocalist Eli, new boisterous tracks "Covering Up" [...]
A massive Saturday, day and night: ► It's a free day in the park at the La Brea Tar Pits, where the annual Tarfest offers a musical lineup of Blondfire, So Many Wizards, Soft Swells, Helena, the Makepeace Brothers and the Steelwells, as well as live painting, sculpture and family activities. ► Mexican singer-songwriter and Latin Grammy-winner Lila Downs holds forth at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex. Las Cafeteras opens. ► Stone Temple Pilots head up a lineup that incudes Deftones, Bush, Scars On Broadway, Chevelle, Hollywood [...]
The Monolators have been our favorite L.A. band of the last 10 years. In other words, we have seen, hosted, and/or enjoyed more Monolators shows than any other local band in the last 10 years. We have also documented more Monolators shows than any other band ever as seen in our tribute video below. But we'll get to that. The Monolators are the epitome of who we love to root for -- the underdog. A band that has persevered through 10 years of ups and downs to find an audience in a city filled with thousands of [...]
I can't help it, but I love tunes with a bit of twee, especially if the lyrics are love related in some way; I'm a sucker. Why does that matter you ask? Well, we just got sent this great new record from The Monolators , which is mostly a compilation of the band's favorite tunes they've recorded over the last ten years. The collection is called Ten Years of Tears , and it's coming out via cassette on the new label, Vanity Projects , which [...]
Earlier this year, Geoff Geis , solo artist and principal provocateur in the band Pizza! , launched his own (cassette/digital) label, Vanity Projects, to release his album "Princess." Future plans include releasing music by many of his friends in the L.A. underground, including Magick Orchids, the Monolators, Nima and Geoff (his collaboration with Nima Kazerouni of So Many Wizards) and Pizza!. By way of introductions, though, Vanity Projects has just released a free 20-track sampler, "Vanity Loves Company: Autumn/Winter 2011." All the aforementioned artists, plus Big Whup, Gold Line, Maston and more, are represented. Included is [...]
Nov 10, 2011, 1:02pm
Fmly
That image above was created by Champoy Hate, a FMLY favorite and a member of LA's lovely Magick Orchids. Magick Orchids is just one of many rad musical projects that contributed to this new digital mixtape, Vanity Loves Company: Vanity Projects Autumn/Winter 2011 . You're welcome to download the mix via bandcamp, and feel free to share it with your friends! Vanity Projects is a new label from LA . Earlier, we released my solo album Princess , and later this month we'll have the new album from Magick Orchids called Origins of [...]
[Happy November. And happy birthday to Eulogies' Peter Walker ...] Tuesday's touts: ► Shonen Knife have been fun for a long time, and on many continents. The Japanese pop-punk standouts are celebrating their 30th anniversary as a band, and they visit the Echoplex on the heels of their latest release "Osaka Ramones," a tribute to the band in whose shadow they've rocked for three decades. The high energy starts early, with L.A.'s Monolators and [...]
Aug 30, 2011, 4:23pm Fmly
This weekend, we held the first "Thank You, Come Again" on LA's East side, at Tierra de la Culebra park in Highland Park. We had a tremendously nice time eating potluck, chilling in the shade on one of the hottest days of the summer, and generally enjoying the gorgeous atmosphere created by the people at Arts Corps LA . We're really grateful to them for all that they do, and we hope that they'll host us again! At the top of this post is a picture of Mary and Eli Monolator, who performed a frantic medley of [...]
THE MONOLATORS, EMA AND THE GHOSTS, AND MINOR ME ON SATURDAY APR. 30TH AT THE DA CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 252 SOUTH MAIN STREET, POMONA. 7:30PM/ $5/ ALL AGES
Shows to consider while waiting to find out how Local Natives sound with a string quartet (11:15 a.m., KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic): ► The co-headlining tour featuring experimental rockers Tera Melos and guitar whiz Marnie Stern hits the Echo, where Poweraxe opens. That's Tera Melos' video for "Manar the Magic," above; the song features a guest spot from Mike Watt, and it's downloadable here . ► Rapper P.O.S. joins the party at the Satellite for this week's installment of the Har Mar Superstar [...]
Top 5 shows on a very good night for local music: ► It's officially the release date for Olin & the Moon's new album "Footsteps" — the L.A. quintet (augmented by string players) is celebrating with a Tuesday residency this month at the Echo, where tonight Coyol and Paulie Pesh support. ► Willoughby , with Henry Wolfe , plays the Hotel Cafe. I don't think I ever posted the video for Willoughby's "Frankenstein," so here you have it. The song is from 20082s "I Know What You're [...]
PETER & THE WOLF, BLACK JESUS, MOSES CAMPBELL, AND THE MONOLATORS ON THURSDAY JAN. 6TH AT THE SMELL, 247 SOUTH MAIN STREET, LOS ANGELES. 8:30PM/ $5/ ALL AGES.
Something occurred to us when we were asked to help out with tonight's show at The Smell: We love The Smell. Seems appropriate to come to this realization when the little/big space on Main Street just happens to be celebrating their 13th Anniversary this weekend.We do have many fond memories of The Smell over the years. Many include our favorite local bands' early shows (Mia Doi Todd, Irving,
THE MONOLATORS, DOWNTOWN/ UNION, AND SHIRLEY ROLLS ON TUESDAY JAN. 4TH AT LABRIE'S, 8806 EAST COLORADO STREET, GLENDALE. 8:30PM/ FREE/ 21+.
[Nels Cline, Michael Stipe, Bernard Sumner and Beth Gibbons celebrate birthdays today — must be something special about Jan. 4 ...] Three local shows tonight to lighten your load (and bide your time until you watch Local Natives on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon): ► Torches in Trees are young, really young, but they've won friends with their winsome psychedelia, and they play the Silverlake Lounge with Railroad to Alaska and the Sunshine Factory . ► Olin [...]
Melvins Start Their Friday Night Residency Happy new year everybody. There aren't many touring bands on the road right now, so get out there and support the local musicians. Monday 1/3/11 [Pick of the Night] The Belle Brigade / Alex and Sam / The Sweet Hurt / Wyoming @ The Satellite [f/k/a Spaceland] (Free) - Make sure to get there in time to see The Sweet Hurt. [...]
The Monolators Don’t Stop Believing (Journey cover) Kickstarter Musicians: Way To Get Creative! As part of their Kickstarter project , LA-based band The Monolators offered a fun, limited reward in which they promised a live recording of a song (backer’s choice!) for just $40. A few months later, and the living room recordings are starting to roll in. The covers are great, the filming is sharp, and the dedications are heartfelt … what’s not to love? [...]
On Saturday, November 6th, 2010, The Monolators put together a silver and ruby gala at Perhspace in Echo Park to celebrate the release of their double EP, Silver Cites/Ruby I'm Changing My Number . The stage area was decorated with string lights and cloudy fabric, creating a dreamy look, while a spread fit for prom kings and queens was set up with punch and snacks. Opening up the show was Hot TV , three guys, a girl, and maybe a pizza place or, in Echo Park's case, a taco truck. Their fun breezy sound reminded me [...]
Buzz Bands
la-underground: los angeles loves you
L.A. RECORD
Austin Town Hall
You Set the Scene
Gluttony Is the New Black
Sexy Track // “Devil Or Angel” // Lou Doillon
Daft Punk - Lose Yourself to Dance (Simøne Remix)
HAERTS: “All The Days”
