Full gallery after the jump!
»continue reading Aziz Ansari, Live, Largo at the Coronet, February 4 (Glow in the Dark Tour Closer)

Is there a gas leak in the room? Bodies drape themselves in zombie postures, eyes closed, slumped shoulders, swaying and leaning on sleepy-looking strangers. What we have here is the natural effect Gang Gang Dance administers on an audience, compounded by the intimacy of the Smell’s narrow walls. The music sounds like helicopters taking off in a kitchen on Mars, where the plants on the windowsill have dog heads and howl for a midday water drip, and the toaster spits cookies from its mouth at will. Beautiful and bizarre, narcotizing, sending visitors to a little place inside their heads generally reserved for hallucinatory effects and self-realization.

Ariel Pink is a hallucination. Hopefully, one day, his genius will be recognized and the eccentric little man and his tambourine will be dressed in dirty designer suits, sprawled out on a lobster-shaped sofa with a My First Sony recorder. L.A.’s lone ranger prince of lo-fi has been working with a band, Haunted Graffiti, which seems to hold him together and tell him what song’s next. He’s a lost puppy searching for love between the long legs of the clouds or a smoke-filled jar.

»continue reading Gang Gang Dance and Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, The Smell, February 2, 2009

Why is it that we want to punch that koala wearing glasses in the face? Is it so cute that it makes us violent?

Matt and Kim are that cute. Watching Matt and Kim perform at the Troubadour on Wednesday, February 4, was like watching skittles — a girl skittle in a cut up “Brooklyn” tanktop named Kim Schifino on the drums and a boy skittle in a striped t-shirt named Matt Johnson on keyboards and vocals.
»continue reading Matt and Kim, Live at the Troubadour, February 4

HEADS UP
Mos Def @ House of Blues Sun Feb 8

Just now got this in the inbox: Mos Def with “Very Special Guests” up on the strip after the Grammy Awards. No shortage of great shows and Grammy mayhem this weekend; add this to the pile, then. Tix on sale now. (Doors @ 9, show @ 10)

 

»continue reading Razorlight, Live at the Troubadour, February 3, 2009

Crazy rumor floating around right now according to AtEaseWeb:

…we’d love to believe these rumours: Radiohead will be playing with the USC Marching Band. We’ve no confirmation on this yet, so we’ll just have to wait a couple of days to see it’s really going to happen. (src)

Bring it. I am excited and will actually watch the Grammys this year, but this all dredges up a sore, older-than-it-should-be topic: Why cannot I spell it Grammies and, further, why do both screwy words remind me of the mothers of my parents more than anything else? (luv you g-ma!) (luv you granny!)

» Grammy Rumours: 15 Step + USC Marching Band? (AtEaseWeb) (via NME)

Radiohead @ Santa Barbara Bowl by Sung

Losanjealous has just received word of a major development related to the copyright infringement lawsuit Associated Press has threatened against artist Shepard Fairey. The AP has claimed that Fairey wrongfully appropriated their photograph of President Obama in creating his iconic “Hope” poster. A recent court filing, however, reveals that the AP in turn violated copyrights owned by Losanjealous author, Derby Doll hanger-on, and man-about-town DF. Excerpts from the 1,257-page complaint illustrate the overwhelming force of these shattering accusations:

“Whereas, heretofore, nevertheless, etc., DF herein alleges that the following is true and correct:*

“¶ 15. Extensive photographic evidence reveals that DF had, as early as 1993, and possibly though not necessarily earlier, looked pensively up and to the left—in precisely the same manner captured by the AP’s photograph of Barack Obama.

“¶ 17. Witnesses will amply and voluminously support DF’s claim of rightful ownership by testifying that they stated, upon seeing conduct specified in aforementioned ¶ 15, ‘Hey, DF, what is located up and to your left that is making you pensive?’

“¶ 78. Extensive documentary evidence reveals that DF had, as early as 1990, and possibly though not necessarily earlier, used the word ‘Hope’—the very same word used in the popular posters of Barack Obama.

“¶ 82. Among the many convincing examples of the phenomenon articulated in aforementioned ¶ 79 include DF utterances such as, ‘I hope that prostitute is not a cop’, ‘I hope that prostitute was joking about having the clap’, and ‘I hope this sensation that my urethra is on fire is not a symptom of the clap.’

»continue reading Major Breaking News in Associated Press-Shepard Fairey Kerfuffle: DF Files Suit, Accuses AP of Copyright Infringement

If you haven’t yet heard the news, the AP has claimed copyright infringement against Los Angeles-based Wrestlemania fan and graphic artist Shepard Fairey for his iconic “HOPE” poster depicting Barack Obama. Turns out Fairey used an AP photo originally taken by Manny Garcia as the basis of his 2008 poster without credit or prior permission (the artist had made this admission prior to recent litigation). The Associated Press now wants to see cash and credit; Shep is claiming Fair Use. While awaiting feedback and insight from various legal professionals regarding this debate, we now turn to you, dear reader, to weigh in on this pressing legal quandary…
»continue reading The Great Associated Press vs Shepard Fairey Obama Hope Poster Debate

HEADS UP
Throbbing Gristle @ UCLA (performing a live soundtrack to the 1980 film In The Shadow Of The Sun) Tues Apr 21

Throbbing Gristle will play stateside this spring for the first time since May, 1981. Dates include Chicago and New York, neither of which the band has previously played:

April 16: New York – Brooklyn Masonic Hall (tickets here)
April 19: Coachella (Sunday) (7pm-ish, 6k-capacity tent stage) (Make sure you hit this tent at 7pm-ish if your mushrooms go south) (seriously)
April 21: Los Angeles – UCLA (Deets on this gig are still being “firmed up” at press time, as they say)
April 23: San Francisco -Grand Regency Ballroom
April 25: Chicago – Epiphany Episcopal (tickets here)

»continue reading Throbbing Gristle To Tour USA, Play 6,000-Capacity Tent At Coachella, UCLA

PHOTO: Crawford Morgan

HEADS UP
Grupo Fantasma @ Knitting Factory Fri 2/6
Grupo Fantasma @ Santa Monica Promenade Apple Store (presumably performing atop genius bar) Sat 2/7 (free!)

Dig that Latin Groove. I predict this one will be loud, raucous and full of mad energy. Just a prediction. These guys are nominated for a Grammy and everything – in fact, that’s why they’re in town. Never seen them live myself to my knowledge (he says, frantically shuffling thru New Orleans Jazzfest ’08 notes), but their music sounds like it will be one insane booty-shaking show. Send me an e-mail with your first and last name to get into the hat for a pair of tix.(UPDATE: Contest closed; winners will be notified Thursday.) I’ll be there. Look for the guy sprawled on the floor immediately following an ill-advised balcony dive. (That, or look for the guy five seconds prior to the dive; gradually talk him down with promises of more alcohol. Better.)

Did You Know?
SXSW attendees might recognize the band, photographed here inside what appears to be the Longbranch Inn, East Austin (one of the joints annually taken over by Vice). Pretty sure at least one reader recognizes this place.

Grupo Fantasma: Official Site | Myspace

Quarrygirl sent us a tip this morning as follows:

LA’s first vegan hot dog stand, in a different location all the time. It’s so good, and you can find it outside of venues like the smell and pehrspace. Kogibbq has got nothing on this! the kids LOVE IT.

I tried to verify the tip by googling Franken’s, and was returned a bunch of HuffPo articles regarding Al Franken, so I’m assuming this phenom is relatively new. (No bullshit: Google Franken’s hot dogs and you get “Coleman has as much chance of winning as a vegan at a hot dog eating contest” …)

What I do know is that at $4, these plant-based sausages (sun-dried tomatoes!) are priced considerably cheaper than the gourmet veggie sausages at Wurstküche and the free toppings don’t appear to be numerically limited, either (glares toward 3rd & Traction). And, oh – the line’s shorter than Kogi, and the location’s trackable online? Count me doubly interested. Get the full scoop here.

PICK OF THE WEEK

Gang Gang Dance
w/ Haunted Grafitti
& Nite Jewel
The Smell
Info
 
 

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (The Cure night) Sun 4/19
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (The Killers night) Sat 4/18
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (Paul McCartney night) Fri 4/17
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (3-Day Pass) Fri 4/17
Flight of the Conchords @ The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas (Bonus Losanjealous Saturday-in-Vegas Pick) Sat 5/23
Flight of the Conchords @ Greek Theatre Sun 5/24
Stereo Total @ El Rey Sat 4/4
Friendly Fires @ Troubadour Mon 4/13
Efterklang w/ Peter Broderick @ Spaceland Tue 3/10
Everest w/ Parson Redheads & Two Sheds @ The Echo Fri 2/27
Lucha VaVoom @ Mayan Theatre Thu 2/12
Lucha VaVoom @ Mayan Theatre Wed 2/11
Asobi Sesku @ Troubadour Sat 3/14
Von Bondies @ The Roxy Sat 3/14
Tom Jones @ Club Nokia Fri 3/6
Helmet w/ Fu Manchu @ House of Blues Wed 3/4
Bloc Party @ The Palladium Wed 4/15
Ratatat @ The Palladium Sat 4/4
Bill Maher @ Gibson Amphitheatre Sat 3/28
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band @ LA Sports Arena Wed 4/15
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band @ LA Sports Arena (On sale Feb. 7 10 am) Thu 4/16
Travis @ Henry Fonda Fri 4/10
Paid Dues Festival with Atmosphere, Tech N9ne, and Living Legends @ National Orange Show, San Bernardino Sat 3/28
Parenthetical Girls w/ No Kids @ Spaceland Wed 3/25
These Are Powers @ The Echo Sun 3/15
Little Boots w/ Love Grenades @ Spaceland Wed 2/4
Modest Mouse @ The Palladium Tue 2/24
Tindersticks @ Henry Fonda Fri 3/13
Spindrift @ Long Beach Art Theatre (movie screening + performance) Fri 2/20
Spindrift, Golden Animals, I See Hawks In LA @ Pappy & Harriet’s (High Desert) Sat 2/7
Jim White & John Doe @ Largo Sat 2/28
Rhett Miller @ Largo Thu 3/26
Lambchop & Radar Bros @ Largo Sat 3/7
 

TUESDAY
Razorlight @ Troubadour
The Bronx @ Echoplex

»continue reading Losanjealous Concert Picks: Feb. 2 – 8

»continue reading Adele at The Wiltern, January 30, 2009

HEADS UP
Flight of the Conchords @ The Greek Sun May 24

More popular than ever, the New Zealand folk duo will return to Los Angeles in late May – this time jumping to the outdoor confines of the Greek Theatre. Presale begins at 10am today; general onsale begins Saturday. As their last Los Angeles shows sold out in record time, you are advised to act accordingly. Click through to get your onsale link as well as the internet presale password.

Internet Presale
Start: Mon, 02/02/09 10:00 AM PST
End: Fri, 02/06/09 08:00 PM PST

Onsale to General Public
Start: Sat, 02/07/09 10:00 AM PST

FotC @ Orpheum by Sung

Much as it pains me to say it, we can’t send 25 of you to review Cut Copy at the Fonda. Good News, though! We’d still love it if you wrote for us. Ask yourself the following questions:
»continue reading Attention, Foodie Cheapskates: Please Write For Us