Blog: L.A. RECORD

Richie Havens, folk legend, died of a heart attack at the age of 72 at his home in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Earth Day. Arriving by helicopter, Havens opened the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival. Due to a number of scheduled opening acts being stuck in traffic, Havens was asked to stretch his set to three-hours and, after running out of material, improvised the old spiritual "Motherless Child" which morphed into a powerful chant of what would later be known as his song "Freedom." [...]

All photos by Leslie Kalohi [View with PicLens] [...]

All photos by Leslie Kalohi [View with PicLens] [...]

The wild dudes in Wild Pack of Canaries—featured in our current issue's Interpreter—send us this brand new sci-fi lo-fi video for "Crustaceans," off their new LP In The Parian Flesh . Listen above and then grab it here !

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uozB2b 5wX9s The ocean is riveting with Dutch Uncles . The Manchester synth masters don't immediately conjure images of sea anemones, but it's comforting to know that they're thinking about that ecosystem. Think underwater ballet for art-rock. Is it weird to think of sushi now? — Nathan Solis

Because Coachella's line-up this year hearkens back so very, very much to the days of my childhood, particularly high school, I've spent all weekend doing coverage in the formats I knew best from Freshman English. That means poems, particularly haikus and limericks ! But the concluding day of the festival called for a little somber reflection, and therefore I turned to sonnets, specifically Spenserian sonnets. That means ABAB, BCBC, CDCD, EE, for those rhyming at home, and the whole thing has to be [...]

Leslie Kalohi conquered her first Coachella as a photographer with these amazing photos. [View with PicLens] [...]

From YOU MAKE ME SICK I MAKE FILMS comes the new video from Joe Volume . It's the third single off Lonesome Water, Lonely Sea and it's called "King Wolf." [vimeo http://vimeo.com/63423402 w=488&h=275] If there really was a King Wolf, and he passed a royal decree saying he was allowed to eat us, we'd totally let him. Because Joe Volume is that fucking good.

Photos and words by Debi Del Grande Although I had to photograph Coachella starting the next day, nothing was going to stop me from driving up to Santa Barbara to see the legendary combination of New Order and Johnny Marr. With Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr is the same house, it would have been epic to have a third set with Electronic. But alas, it didn't happen. Marr's solo efforts are paying off and he seems more comfortable behind the mic. Playing tunes from his album The Messenger , Marr gave fans a [...]

Coachella’s line-up this year hearkens back to the past—not the old past, but my past, to the bands that were popular when I was in high school. To keep in the spirit of things, I’ve reviewed all of Friday’s bands as I might have done in Freshman English at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa. Today’s format? Spenserian sonnets! Here's part I: COACHELLA DAY 3:  POLO GREEN IS GOLD The Lord's Day started out in Satan's hands, Black gloved and, God knows, drenched in [...]

Coachella’s line-up this year hearkens back to the past—not the old past, but my past, to the bands that were popular when I was in high school. To keep in the spirit of things, I’ve reviewed all of this weekend’s bands as I might have done in Freshman English at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa. Today’s format? All limericks! Oh, and I started not at Coachella proper, but at the Ace Hotel, where we lounged around and watched bands poolside with pretty damned good bloody marys in our hands. [...]

Not sure if yesterday's photo really captured the magic of the hippo men, scientists who run the Coachella experience by doing cool things in a room with a lot of wires running everywhere. It was like old school Devo videos, and it made me happy. -D. M. Collins

Coachella’s line-up this year hearkens back to the past—not the old past, but my past, to the bands that were popular when I was in high school. To keep in the spirit of things, I’ve reviewed all of Friday’s bands as I might have done in Freshman English at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa. Today’s format? All haikus! Coachella Security Pat me down just once? Why not twice? Now I've lost my fucking sunglasses. [...]

Photos and words by Brandon Winters Rarely have I ever heard of a headlining artist face a crowd without any opening act, but on Thursday night at the Fonda Theatre, La Roux welcomed the ecstatic audience. It has been close to four years since their debut album dropped and dominated charts globally while racking in numerous prestigious awards and nominations. The years have not had any impact on the groups fandom, as droves of women began screaming in excitement at the very first note of “In For The Kill” was heard being sung from the off stage [...]

Photos and words by Ward Robinson Spiritualized played Pappy and Harriet's in Pioneertown Monday after their stint at the first Coachella weekend. There were many grumblings that it wasn't "real" Spiritualized, as the band was a stand-in for the long running lineup. It's a stretch, though, to poo poo any band with Spaceman in it as "not real Spiritualized." And though it felt a bit different than we are used to (mostly due to a more active drummer), the band killed it under the stars and in the cold cold wind. Just beautiful. Opening set by [...]

Photos and words by Ward Robinson Spiritualized played Pappy and Harriet's in Pioneertown Monday after their stint at the first Coachella weekend. There were many grumblings that it wasn't "real" Spiritualized, as the band was a stand-in for the long running lineup. It's a stretch, though, to poo poo any band with Spaceman in it as "not real Spiritualized." And though it felt a bit different than we are used to (mostly due to a more active drummer), the band killed it under the stars and in the cold cold wind. Just beautiful. Opening set by [...]

Our roving reporter D. M. Collins is covering Coachella this weekend-stay tuned for reports from the field every day. In the interim, you can follow his tweets @WriterDMCollins - today every review is coming in the form of a haiku. Hey there, Johnny Marr! If you don't like Morrissey, Then why sing like him? Got an idea for a poetic format for tomorrow? Dan's thinking limericks.

Record Store Day is upon us again! A day to exercise your last chance ever to get that first King Tuff LP, and a chance to see awesome people DJ as you find some never-before-touched-by-custom er-hands used import 45 you have been needing to become a complete human being! Below is our trying-to-be-comprehensive list of Record Store Day events and sales across the Greater L.A. area, including Long Beach, Orange County and the Valley. Now ... go forth and DIG! AMOEBA Line forms 8 AM, opens 10:30 AM. 25% off all [...]

Staycation Round 3 selected by DJ Andres Renteria. Visit the entire playlist or check it out track by track below. 1. Katunga "Oh Cherie" 2. Eddie Palmieri "Carnaval en Camaguey" www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBJLXH oyecM 3. Ronnie McNeir "Sagittarian Affair" www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfgSAZ f_Lck 4. Bob Kuban & the In-Men "The Cheater" [...]

Photos and words by Debi Del Grande Mayhem at The Echo as London's Palma Violets rolled in and had the place in a frenzy. Now I get what the fuss is all about. [View with PicLens]