Key Takeaways
The gig is in six days, so read into that what you will. You can also apparently now buy some sections for $40 cheaper than originally listed. Victor may have said it best when the news these guys were playing Morongo first dropped:
» Stone Temple Pilots To Play Casino Morongo (Sans Dice)
» Buy four close-to-the-stage seats right here
South San Gabriel opens the night around 930p. That is to say, Will Johnson lets some rumbling, ethereal low “D” chords dribble out of his amp and hover over our heads for a bit, setting the tone for the rest of the evening. For the unfamiliar (read: non-alt-country fans and/or people who have not spent a lengthy amount of time in Texas the last decade or so), South San Gabriel is actually an offshoot project of the evening’s headlining act, Centro-matic, the difference here being they bring a few guests up on stage, go for the atmosphere and play nothing but softer, sadder, more subdued songs than they presumably will in a couple of hours. We’re getting both versions of the band this evening because they’ve recently released Dual Hawks, a double album - both band names on the same label, one record per band name - and they’re touring to support it. (This is the kind of thing that happens when you have somebody like Will Johnson writing way too many songs.) I’m actually listening to the second album on vinyl right this second; give me a few days to let you know which iteration I prefer. All I can say at this point is that having past and present members of David Byrne-approved Brave Combo contribute to your ambitious “double band double album” can surely only help. Back to the set: The pedal steel is in full effect and admittedly, the heartbreak-in-the-desert vibe is sinking deeper into my skin with each warbling word, each extended note, each sip of whiskey. The set eventually ends as it began: on a very quiet note. This tour marks the first time they’ve taken this particular iteration of the band on the road, outside Texas. Hopefully it won’t be the last.
»continue reading Spaceland, 9/2/08: South San Gabriel, Sleepercar, Centro-matic
Say it isn’t so. We’ve just finished eating all those grilled oki-dogs in honor of the Knights of Labor, Eugene V. Debs, Gompers, railroads, socialists and that begrudging bill-signer Grover Cleveland, and already it’s time to look ahead to October? The above damning evidence surfaced courtesy our team of analysts this morning, and we have no choice but to share it with you now: October 4 is totally recommended this year. The Eagle Rock Music Festival (a freebie, lest you forget) will once again take on downtown’s Detour, head on; Iron and Wine and the Swell Season are at the Greek, and David Byrne’s still within surfing distance. Sheezus. As more shows are diligently and painstakingly added to October 4 in the days and weeks to come, rest assured we will evaluate them for the coveted “recommended” status and, provided they merit the bump, acquiesce accordingly.
OCTOBER 4: FOR THE “EDITOR’S PICK” LOVER IN YOU
» David Byrne @ Arlington Theater, Santa Barbara
» Detour Festival @ Downtown
» Eagle Rock Music Festival @ Eagle Rock
» The Swell Season w/ Iron & Wine @ Greek Theatre
» Browse our entire show calendar
Did You Know? In a move SXSW would have no choice but to admire, The Pity Party played both Detour and Eagle Rock festivals on the same day last year, earning the title “Hardest Working Band in Los Eageles.”
HEADS UP
The Vacation with Paul Chesne @ Les Deux (Hollywood) Mon 8/25
Cost: FREE
Details onna myspace
ON VACATION
» Interview: The Vacation
» The Vacation @ Swinghouse, 1/25/08
» The Binges, The Vacation, Yearlong Disaster, Tokyo Smog @ The Roxy, 7/3/07
» Kibitz Komune @ Canter’s, April 5: The Losanjealous Timeline
» The Vacation @ Concert of the Beast: The Losanjealous “Interview”
HEADS UP
Stone Temple Pilots @ Casino Morongo (Outdoor Pavilion) Wed Sep 10
Regular and VIP tickets both now on sale. Remember: You don’t need actual dice in the craps pit to have a good time.
Stone Temple Pilots, possibly our favorite Weiland-inclusive band to watch and discuss, will stake a claim at the desert-defying- albeit-sadly-dice-barren Casino Morongo in a manner of weeks. I spent an entire evening loosely themed around nuptials out at Morongo in late spring of this year, so I have a couple of FYIs to get the ball rolling if you’ve never made the short trek to mini-Vegas in the Coachella valley. Consider it a Morongo primer, then, for those that have not been:
»continue reading Stone Temple Pilots To Play Casino Morongo (Sans Dice)
In late 2002 I stumbled into the downtown Palace Theatre in Los Angeles for a 72-hour punk rock and shock film festival titled “Shock-o-Rama a Go-Go”. With a very liberal “bring your own booze and sleeping bag” policy, the festival featured all-night-and-all-day films, performances by bands such as the Nervous Return and 400 Blows, and general creepiness - all within the confines of the lovely (albeit rotting) Broadway district theatre. The highlight for me was a screening of The Forbidden Zone, a cult film by Richard Elfman starring Herve Villechaize as King Fausto, with Richard’s brother Danny Elfman playing the devil. (Richard, if you did not know, is the original founder of the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo.) The screening was followed by a Q&A with the director himself. Six years later, The Forbidden Zone has now been restored, the sound remastered and the film colorized. It will screen at the Egyptian on Wednesday, July 30, again with a Q&A with the director, and we’re stoked to give you the chance to win tickets to the screening at the end of this article. But first, a few brief questions with Richard regarding his film, his legacy, and Los Angeles.
I caught you and the film at a 72-hour punk festival back in 2002. What’s the kookiest place or festival you’ve ever personally attended a Forbidden Zone screening - any good stories? What should or shouldn’t we expect at the Egyptian?
Modesty and gentlemanly discretion prohibit me from discussing that particular night in 2002. In terms of the Egyptian screeing July 30, not much happening. Naked beauty-pageant mud-wrestling begins at 5 pm. Then unlimited free drinks for an hour while my brother Danny jams with Paul McCartney and Sting. Then the ritual slaughtering of the of the boars, subsequent barbecue and demented mass orgy dance. And then the screening begins at 8pm. (Susan Tyrrell, Matthew Bright, animator John Muto and other cast and crew will be joining us.) After the screening, we will all sit and relax, as we enjoy a reading of Homer’s Ulysses (in the original Greek), followed by a reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses. And then we can have a wonderful discussion about the two Ulysses. Hopefully it will all be over before the following night’s screening!
The parts I’ve seen in color look great. What was the primary impetus for colorizing (and remastering) the film?
»continue reading Delving Into Richard Elfman’s Brightly-Colored Forbidden Zone
Today in Rampant Speculation: Sunset Junction 2008 set times are alive and kicking. If you haven’t been paying attention, the lineup looks great (Broken Social Scene, !!!, Black Keys, Beachwood Sparks, Cold War Kids, Kinky, local blog faves Voxhaul Broadcast et al).
But what’s this!? On Sunday, August 24, “4:10 TBA/Aug. 17″ will be taking the Bates Stage just before the reunited Beachwood Sparks. Who the dickens could this be!? We turn now to you, faithful reader, for a comprehensive - nay, exhaustive - analysis of the possibilities, one of which will ultimately be announced by the organizers on August 17, a mere week before show time. Who’s touring? Who’s in town or near town during that time? Vote for your best guess or add it to the list if it’s not already there.
UP THE JUNCTION
» 2007 Sunset Junction Street Fair
» Sunset Junction 2007: The Pity Party
» We Played Some Festivals Recently
» Canadian Coffee Break: The Street Fair Season
» Blonde Redhead @ Sunset Junction, 8/18/07
» Sunset Junction, Saturday: One Perspective
» Sunset Junction Options Juiced, Elongated
O, Pork Pump! We order thee with a straight face
In busy times, dozens are jiggling on plates
You stand tall, but not firmly, in brown gravy lake
There’ll be naught but the plate left, you Pump, in our wake
This Has Been
A Photo Of Monterey Park’s Infamous Lake Spring Shanghai Restaurant Pork Pump
Circa 2004
SPECIAL BONUS PHOTO!
A Pump of Pork, dissected, after the jump.
No plans this Saturday? Lordy! Get thee to the World Famous Santa Monica Pier for GLOW, an all-night art-and-sound extravaganza free to the public. Dublab, Machine Project, KCRW DJs Garth, Raul and Jeremy Sole, our buddy Karyl Newman and a slew of additional international audio and visual artists of note will be out in full force from dusk ’til dawn, transforming the traditionally tourist-, corn dog- and seagull-choked pier area into an artistic wünderland (albeit one with slight, unmistakable yet not altogether unpleasant whiffs of tourists, seagulls and corn dogs) for some 12-odd hours. So what’s Karyl up to Saturday?
Using the stairs that connect the north side of the pier to the beach, Newman will place LEDs under the stair treads and program them to change color and rhythm in response to changes in the tide.
Count me in and do let me top off your mushroom tea, my good sir. Meantime, what’s Machine Project up to across the way?
Ferris Wheel Orchestra
A 3-part musical composition/cycle for brass, winds and percussion to be performed from the baskets of the ferris wheel. The first part will be performed at 8:30 PM, the second at midnight, and the final part at 5:30 AM on July 20th.
Totally not for me. Any poets?
Poetry Boat
A boat with three poets (Joshua Beckman, Anthony McCann and Noelle Kocot) will anchor at some distance offshore on the south side of the pier. On the beach, a site will be established to allow telephone contact between visitors and the boat. Visitors can request personal poetry readings that will be delivered from the boat.
Ok I’ll be there. Look for the man with a beard.
» Glow @ Santa Monica Pier Sat Jul 19
(Did we mention dublab?)
Did You Know?
GLOW is the only overnight event to have ever received permission to use the historic Santa Monica Pier. Make it count.
Update
Defamer interviews Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Manager Jessica Cusick regarding the origins of GLOW and what you should not miss, here
Above: A forgettable shithole on Melrose seemingly remodels itself following months of unnoticed downtime
While you were busy not giving a shit, The Gig (7302 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90046) quietly (assumed) folded its doors some time ago. Last updated in December, the venue’s online calendar shows the dreaded tell-tale smattering of “TBA” slots in those final days, with the last confirmed rock act listed being Shaka Buku. Congrats, Shaka Buku! You may yet in fact become the last band in history to have erroneously believed that playing a gig at the venerable surprisingly longstanding Melrose hellhole loosely, if not longingly, dubbed “The Gig” could potentially further your career in some capacity.
We blame you not for failing to notice the venue’s closure (it took us six months). Hell, Wikipedia lists the last time in history anybody gave a shit about something taking place at The Gig as being March 10, 1988. (Let’s be fair, the aforementioned passage requires citation and the club has only been around since 1998 or so.) The venue’s official myspace page is unfortunately of little help at present, advising that “front patio” renovations should be completed prior to March 2008. (Is that what’s going on inside there?)
All snarkiness aside, the closure is bound to have a negative impact on the local music scene and, broader, the city at large, as bands who were previously booked no questions asked just bring some friends at The Gig diligently and painfully find the booking policies considerably more rigid at competing clubs and, as a result, the respective band members become severely embittered, directly translating into poor attitudes at day jobs, ultimately translating into somebody getting short-shrifted out of an espresso shot by a pissed-off member of Shaka Buku behind the counter over at Starbucks Hollywood. After the jump, our recommendation for the new Melrose public facing.
»continue reading Gig Gutted
HEADS UP AND BOBBING
Extra Golden @ Echoplex Wed 6/18
Quick reminder: No shortage of great shows this evening, but if Fink’s not your bag and you didn’t get tickets to Rilo at the Greek, again must I fully condone Extra Golden at the Echoplex. This is a rare opportunity, as there’s literally no telling when some of these guys will hit the states again.
He’ll be at the Echoplex this Friday. Sorry for the delay in posting this info; I’ve been up to my waist in mother nature and while she’s beguiling, she does tend to interfere with the important shit like checking the Blackberry and posting Los Angeles ticket on-sales. Becktix™ went on sale at 5pm today and are already sold out over at Ticketweb. However, according to the email blast:
A limited number of tickets will be available at the door the night of the show on a first come, first served basis for $25 CASH.
UPDATE 6/13:
Show cancelled. Again. Becklash forthcoming as direct result of (now weekly) Bechoplex chain-yank.
Line up now for the chance to see everybody’s favorite refreshingly low-key Scientologist at the Echoplex this week. Will Nigel Godrich join him on stage again like he did in November? Show up, find out, let us know.
HEADS UP
Bechoplex Fri 6/13
I THINK I’M IN LOVE (BUT IT MAKES ME KIND OF NERVOUS TO SAY SO)
» Beck @ The Echo - Pictures & Video
» Morning Press Release Cut & Paste: Beck Names New LP, Sets Release Date
» First Annual LA Weekly Detour Festival, Downtown
» Beck, Spoon, MGMT @ Hollywood Bowl
» Beck To Hancock Park
» Beck Apologizes In Advance For Jacked-Up Lyrics
Saturday 7 June 2008
Geffen Contemporary
7–9pm: Music set by special guest Henry Rollins
Music and Exhibition Highlight Tours from 7–9pm
Screening of Underground Forces starts at 9pm
FREE for MOCA members or with museum admission
Years before the birth of MTV, artist Joe Rees and his organization Target Video began taping and editing what would become some of the first conceptually and aesthetically driven music videos. In conjunction with the J. Paul Getty Museum’s exhibition California Video, MOCA presents a special outdoor screening of a two–hour Target Video program Underground Forces, featuring rare footage of west coast punk and New Wave bands, their east coast and European counterparts, and a healthy sampling of the artists, musicians, and fans that populated California’s underground scene in the late-1970s and early ‘80s. The show includes Target Video’s creative montages and performances by the Avengers, Bad Brains, Bauhaus, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, The Cramps, Dead Kennedys, Devo, The Dils, Flipper, The Germs, The Gun Club, Johanna Went, the Mutants, Negative Trend, the Plugz, the Ramones, the Screamers, SRL, X, and the Weirdos, among others.
Image courtesy of TargetVideo77
“Feel free to bring your lawn chair or blanket and enjoy an evening of art and film under the stars.”
General museum admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students with I.D. and seniors 65+, and free for MOCA members and children under 12.
Friday night and the Troub is packed. In a nutshell: Old. Parents with sitters for the night, some flying solo, some grossly inebriated, more than a few sober as can be. The $200 ticket price scared all those dreaded hipsters away, Yacht Rock allegiance be damned. Nothing but hardcore fans here. These people are brandishing H&O tribute license plates. Believe it! Anticipation boils feverish. Over near the bar, a smattering of younger folks commingle with what might in another setting be aunts and uncles at a drunken, Hall-and-Oates-appreciative family reunion. Vibe is boisterous. Tommy Bahama rules the wardrobe of the male contingency. The house DJ plays classic cuts from the duo’s past. The stage is all decked out for a change, nautical netting backdrop casually draped for an inexplicably appropriate vibe. (Yacht rock nod? Something Hall-and-Oatesy, something nautical going on here, very Marina 1978 any way you slice it…) A brief flash of darkened curly hair through a crack in the green room curtain causes a roar from the crowd. Showtime. The band takes to the stage.
»continue reading Hall and Oates: Return to the Troubadour, May 23, 2008
HEADS UP AND WARY OF SPAM
Ladytron & Datarock will be DJing at the venerable All Star Lanes in Eagle Rock following their gig this Thursday, the first of a two-night stand at the Fonda for both outfits. No cover; plus, while you enjoy their tasty selections, word has it bowling and drinks will be free. Which drinks are free? We don’t know. Sparks is an educated guess.
As mentioned there’s no cover for the party, but you’ll need to RSVP with your name and email address here to get on the list. Warning: Checking those little boxes = Toyota will spam you and probably call you, if you are foolish enough to submit your phone number(s).
SEE ALSO
» Coachella 2008 Friday: Battles, Vampire Weekend, The Black Lips and Datarock
» Ladytron Returns With Velocifero
» Ladytron @ UCLA, 11/2/06
» Datarock @ Troubadour, 6/13/07
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