Ok technically he is free. Its not exactly Rodney King versus the LAPD back in the day. But when your buddies need a helping hand, you jump at the opportunity to do any little bit you can do for them. And it makes it even easier when its about supporting your local bands, one of which are just unfortunately having to deal with some BS. So last night with about seemingly a thousand things going on in Los Angeles, we strolled into the All Star Lanes in Eagle Rock for the Spencer Rollins Benefit show.
Our buddy at Rockinsider put together this show to help raise the legal fund fees for Spencer to contest(and I am certain take on and beat) some charges. And its unfortunate that we were brought together under these circumstances, but I am also thankful as you get to witness a lineup of cool, local talent such as Young Animals, Exit Music, Dorian Wood, The Cobra Lilies and Avi Buffalo all to the amazing backdrop of people bowling while the sets are going!
Young Animals performing:
On a night like last night you do realize certain things. That no matter what is going on in your personal life, its good to make a contribution in whatever way you can. You need to look beyond yourself and things just make a little more sense.
Dorian Wood Performing:
Live music in Los Angeles is very real now and really better then anything else anywhere else. There I said it. But you also realize that the power of good people armed with live music for a good cause helps all our problems fade away for the night. It connects us all.
I have linked to the Young Animals page so you can make a small contribution if it suits you. All these bands have upcoming shows and lets go out and support them under better circumstances and not only when they are under some po’ po’ threat. And yes, its official, my camera crapped out so sorry again for the quality of the video.
The nice people @ LA Cityzine just showed us some love with a nice write up. Be sure to check them out as they are another great site that chronicles what’s going on in L.A.
After working a 12 hour day trying to build this thing called Loudvine.com, I was on the fence about going out last night. And on top of that it was the season premier of some show with Heidi Klum. She’s really hot and I can tivo her all night long in different freeze frames and its almost as if she is talking to me directly. She teases me. I almost thought about locking myself away in my suburban dwelling and ordering food in and not going out and watching TV.
Then I was reminded by a text that my presence was requested on the east side of Los Angeles and I started to feel excited about going out and I left the burbs and decided to go listen to live music.
As you will know lately I have been on a kick…Los Angeles bands that start with the letter M and that have female bassists. And last night was no exception (by the way you are hella cute but I could not compromise my journalistic integrity by coming up and actually talking to you, but I digress). I don’t know what it is, its almost as if they go hand-in-hand, the letter M and female musicians. But its almost as if I am called by some invisible forces and I tend to end at up The Echo. And always to hear some great live music.
There were four bands on the bill last night but I came specifically to listen to The Monolators. I only knew these guys through their Myspace but knew they had been doing the LA circuit for a few years. Then as I got closer to hearing The Monolators, a band that I had wanted to see for some time, I started to get even more excited. They started their set with “Strawberry Roan” and while I listened to The Monolators, I was reminded of something. Music heals and music helps you understand things about yourself and about life.
As I stood there with my arm tiring up in the air getting vid’s of this show, I saw in The Monolators something I see in myself and what I am trying to do with Loudvine.com–that something organic and something worth believing in takes time to build and spread…kinda of like a band like The Monolators. You put it out there and just believe. They have their own sound, identity and they bring it on stage. And its fresh. And they know who they. So often bands just lose themselves trying to be and sound like someone else, but notThe Monolators.
Around for a few years, they embody the indie scene in LA, and we’re all better for it. Their set continued into a few new tracks from their upcoming new album(due out around October/November) including tracks “I Heard Her Calling from Another Room,” and Don’t Dance.”
As I sat and listened to their set, the band and its energetic leader Eli, there is just a positive and gracious energy, contagious you might say, about them. It makes you want to support these guys even more. So the members of Loudvine.com and beyond, please support these guys and get their tunes and pass the word. I would have bought some merch at the end of the show but I had given my last five dollars to my ghostwriter for a red stripe.
The Monolators are doing it on their own (no label help, recording on their own) and always being true to their unique sound. And while a lot of people always knock the creative forces that drive us, The Monolators like Loudvine.com are fabulous and will catch on before its too late. My suggestion, download their music and play it for your friends, listen to it when you’re in LA Traffic or just need a kick in the ass to get you going.
Yep their that good and they do it for me. And to hear it live last night makes me want to know about their upcoming shows and go see them again.
We are constantly trying to figure out ways to help all the artists connect with more fans and help spread the word on great music in Los Angeles.
What we have done is set up a Facebook page and group. As you know, as an artist, it is tough to connect with people on Facebook unless you know them. We will help you reach more people in Los Angeles. All you need to do is sign up for our Group and you will start meeting our Facebook Fans! This will definitely be growing over the upcoming weeks.
You can do this in one of two ways:
On our Myspace Page, click on on the Find Us On Facebook Icon or
We will also be doing a weekly “recommended” show for our fans, highlighting a great show and bringing people to the venues. So artists, please help us by telling us who you are, putting up your profiles on Loudvine.com and setting up your GIGS. We will do the rest.
Hey Guys wanted everyone to know, the calendar is finally up and running and it’s on the right hand side of the navigation. Click on any date, and even without logging in or registering you will see all the GIGS we have put on the website.
We have also added approximately 800 GIGs that are happening in Los Angeles over the next few weeks.
We have also started our Loudvine Blogroll as you guys have been requesting with our good buddies at Future Rock Stars of America. Great site, so please be sure to check them out.
So I got lost…again….in Los Angeles…last night. I had blurred vision from entering gigs on Loudvine all day for you guys. You would think with a GPS system in my car and phone that I would actually know where I was going these days. Yet I managed to get lost but at least I found free parking.
But there I was, in search of something, anything calling me back to the sunset strip. And like a mirage, The Echo called to me from the right on sunset as I swerved through Echo Park.
Last night I was traveling solo through the LA Indie scene in search of great music for under ten bucks. And who would have thought that a bunch of Muslims would help me find some inner peace as I was trying to wash the stress of this day off myself. No I have not converted to Islam, I am referring to a bad ass quartet of music loving fools, called The Muslims.
I had heard very little about this band, The Muslims, prior to this gig. But like a man on a sojourn, I was called, as if by silent forces to go listen to these guys last night.
Now LA based, The Muslims just had a good vibe around them. As I’m sipping red stripe at the bar, I see Matt the lead singer writing his playlist on a napkin. Fuckin’ rock and rollers, so chill.
The Muslims, started their set, with “On My Time.” There was something about these guys, from how they started their set with their back to the audience and a drummer standing up playing with such force, I thought his drum set itself would snap. The Muslims announced their entry to The Echo crowd with sheer power and a sound that reminded me of some original 60’s explosion with a bunch of dudes just having a great fucking time. Sheer Power. Unique. And at the first song I was hooked. As their set continued, they went on to do “Beside Myself.” A little country and rock, at least I thought. A new power anthem. Play this song when you make love, work out, or are simply just wanting to get jacked up. As the set continued, I could not believe I was here, again, living the dream in Los Angeles, hearing the best live music.
As The Muslims continuing playing, I could feel my ears exploding and my body moving in ways I have not for a while…and the crowd reciprocated the bands energy by moving and applauding their every note. And again, last night I was blessed to have yet another favorite band.
This is one tight band and my gut feeling is they are not just because they practice a lot but because they wholly believe in what they are doing and doing it just for the sake of doing it. The Muslims make unbelievable music and to hear it live just makes me want it that much more…its refreshing.
These Muslims are worth converting to. Being this devoted to these Muslims might take a lot less schooling and time(then lets say,learning the Koran) but will be just as refreshing and powerful and The Muslims will elevate your being when you need a kick of something new, energetic, and just raw and good music.
