We recently sat down for thai food and an-all-too-brief conversation with Davin Givhan.
After a lot of touring in 2008 with Saul Williams, going forward in 2009 Davin Givhan will be doing more solo performances. And we are thankful, because at Loudvine.com we really dig his music and want to see him perform live again.
We are thankful this cool guy from Long Beach, student of music, and overall talented singer and songwriter spent some time with us.
“Cause I don’t really care what they think/Tomorrow they’ll be doing my song and will be claiming it’s new/ and 2 years ago they used to say that aint even hip-hop now they dipped in a Sinatra suit” says an excited an Pigeon John.
One word comes to mind after seeing a Pigeon John show. Re-Invention. Half man- Half beast, the man known as John Dust has continued to wow his fans with his amazing ability to re-invent his sound and style, while still maintaining his ability to be himself. There aren’t a lot of artists that can boast this accomplishment, especially at a time when the music business undergoes it’s own cosmetic changes. Yet the LA native stands here tonight in front of a packed house at the Knitting Factory, with new tricks up his sleeve and familiar tunes to rap- or sing- along to.
“Let’s let our guards down tonight and be as one.” John is reminding the audience of the reason why we are all here, to have fun. He is backed by a five piece band who has been tearing up all his familiar tunes, an impressive catalog that combines upbeat lyrics and melodies that balance his singing and rapping. This sound has been unique to Pigeon John’s swagger for years, but tonight has been slated as more than just your usual Pigeon John show. After performing the first 45 minute set with the band, PJ and the band exit the stage and leave the audience in the hands of his DJ. When John comes back onstage, he’s re-invented himself again; his cardigan and neck-tie, having been replaced by a bright YO! MTV Raps t-shirt. A bit more casual, he lets the crowd in on his latest top-secret project called Rootbeer, a joint collaboration between him and his rapper friend Flynn Adam.
The audience has no idea what they are in store for until the opening track comes on, and next thing you know Flynn and John are all over the place, hyping the crowd to jump around like a chimpanzee! The duo known as Rootbeer seems to have tapped into a super hyphy-crunk-dance rap fusion that sticks to the Pigeon model of having fun, but carries an explosive new sound different from any Pigeon John material from the past. The following song is even more descriptive, bearing the hook, “Girlie hit me up because the homie is famous” and tells of the gold-digging woes that come with having famous friends. “Pink Limousine” is equally as fun and catchy, and could be heard in a club or at your little sister’s birthday party. Mostly up beat, Rootbeer’s production is solid and original, made possible by Flynn and John collectively. Their chemistry onstage is natural and energetic, with splices of old school dance moves and tag team verses reminiscent of RUN-DMC. The show flows seamlessly, with Rootbeer sharing stories and scenarios that keep the audience laughing.
As the Rootbeer premiere wraps up, Pigeon John brings on his band and gets into some more of his own hits. One of the traits that makes Pigeon John’s music stick to you is his ability to have fun, but beyond the silliness is an honest MC who wants you to learn from his struggles. Songs like “Identity Crisis”, “Be”, and “Hello Everybody”, are just a few of the tracks where you witness Pigeon John pouring out his heart to whomever is in earshot.
Tonight is no different, offering up his energy and laughter to those that came out to support him. His music is as contagious as his stage presence, and with new projects still to come, it can only get better for John Dust. The re-invention of John’s artistry has been shown tonight, and proves how he continues to keep you guessing.
As 2008 draws to a close and we usher in the New Year, I am excited about the refreshing change we will witness in so many facets of our world. Change has been a big theme of 2008, and my hunch is ‘09 will carry on that torch even more.
One of the areas I’ve already noticed it take place is with music, with new artists emerging with refreshing creativity and sounds across the genre spectrum. I cannot help but feel that we will be part of a sort of musical renaissance as we usher in 2009, and for those that are fans of hip-hop, we are already seeing the transformation take place as the genre begins to head in new directions with new voices. One of those new voices is Illa J, the younger brother to the late J Dilla. Illa’s latest project, Yancey Boys showcases Illa’s rhymes over untouched Dilla beats, making for an anticipated chemistry into the industry.
His recent show at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood demonstrated that he was more than just a younger sibling tip-toeing over inherited production gems, but rather a serious MC taking the time to hone his craft with honesty and sincerity. His song writing is descriptive and personal, letting the audience know that his music is for “Souls with a purpose”. Illa J is an example of being transparent through his music. He demonstrates no fear on stage when rhyming about his own struggles and insecurities in life. The courage that this young person possesses is admirable, and his confidence translates well to the audience. “I spend so much time, in side of my mind, in a bubble” he rapped, “And use my creativity to keep on moving.”
Illa’s timing could not be more perfect. The holidays are a time of reflection and personal rejuvenation with close family and friends. It is often spent thinking back on how far you have come and the blessings you have to be thankful for. Illa J embodies the holiday spirit, making it so easy to warm up and listen to his music and stories. His genuineness to the people in the room was as warm and smooth as the bass in the tracks. At one point, he paused to tell the people of his holiday season a year ago. “In December of ‘07″ he began energetically, “I was sitting at the house with no deal or anything. Trying to figure out what was gonna happen next. A year later here I am, blessed to be in front of you all sharing my heart. Keep your eyes open and keep going for that shit!” Immediately following the story, the Detroit native dips into a hometown talent cover of Slum Village’s Raise it up. It is a familiar and proper tune that the audience enjoys. “I’m from Detroit” he reminds the Los Angeles crowd, “And this is how we do it in the D”.
Though Illa J is new to the performance end, it is clear that he is passionate. Rocking a shirt tonight that reads “History Made,” it sums up the mission he is on as an MC and musician. The Yancey Boys album is described by Illa as being “Half my brother and half me. He’s the music and I am the voice.” With songs that proudly claim “We are here!” it is no surprise that Illa J is going to stand out in 2009. A voice that has no problem expressing it’s self with raw honesty. He reminds the audience in between songs that he is coming for the number one spot, and wants people to connect with the feelings he puts into his music. His sound is diverse and has the ability to cross over to a more mainstream appeal, and his rhymes compliment his brother’s production well. With an energetic beat to match, one of the songs spoke on the holiday timing with the hook ringing, “We popping bottles like the first of the year!” and could easily lace any top 40 radio play list. If feels like a celebration for all of us, and I am excited to keep the party going.
In a musical set up that would survive any nuclear meltdown from the latest Will Smith movie, Doxcyde holes up in this west side locale with enough ammunition, toys, rugs, and mixing equipment to perfect what their working on. It is a shrine in here with an assortment of keys, old guitars and enough speakers to blow the neighbors windows out. We were excited they decided to spend some time withLoudvine.com. The entire interview and jam session is in this single video.
I really did not feel like going last night but since this was one of the five bands we mentioned in this week’s newsletter, I had to go. Just had to go out again. So glad I did and it has nothing to do with No Bunny’s amazing sense of fashion. You see, when a band starts of a set, and their manly lead singer casually walks in off Sunset in high heals, his underwear, and a bunny mask to lead his band mates, you are left wondering many, many things. Like, how does a punk band like No Bunny do what they do in high heels? You wonder if the drummer in his space outfit is going to collapse from heat exhaustion as he beats the shit out of this drum set during their performance. And you wonder if this is a gimmick. No Bunny is no gimmick and they make cool music. Last night at Echo Curio, No Bunny performed for us and whoa, what a night to remember.
No Bunny, gave everything we could have wanted last night. No Bunny jumped into a set, delivered it with a pulse that not many people can match, had the crowd in this really small spot break out into a mosh pit and just made killer music for those of us lucky enough to be there. No Bunny was fired up to be in Los Angeles. Our re-emergence into the punk scene, left me in amazement as I watched the kids eating No Bunny up. The set exploded right from the beginning, with a quick note from No Bunnyhimself dedicating a song to girls with big boobs, and then letting the girl with the biggest boobs in the audience come to the mic and ask her dude to marry her, and once again, saying, “congratulations, you got the girl with the boobs!”
For me, my night was all set when I heard No Bunny annihilate “Give it To Me.” I knew it was a hot set. At one point I walked out for a quick breather, and the door of Echo Curio was steaming, people were needing to get out but not wanting to leave since they knew the No Bunny set could be done at any moment. The anticipation I felt all day wanting to hear No Bunny was matched by their presence and gig last night and gave me a shot of music to the soul that left me so fired up, I could not get to sleep until three am.
I am back. To listening to music, any type, anywhere, just for the very purpose of listening to music that I want to listen to. After another great week of covering shows all over LA, last night’s stop was tiny Echo Curio, swelling with people on this cold Thursday evening off Sunset. A good, early crowd is here to see The Rough Kids. Nothing rough about these kids. They started their set and we were all given a shot of adrenaline. As The Rough Kids continued their set, their lead singer kept naming off the songs first song, second song and so on. But it was fun, and a very good, energetic set. Dam I love that I am re-discovering punk music and bands like The Rough Kids help the cause.
The Rough Kids sounded super tight while trying to blow out the windows and our ear drums. With a short set that lasted eight songs, I was left wondering why just eight songs? I wanted them to play a little more, I liked them that much. This band should be playing some of LA’s bigger venues going forward into 2009 and infusing other crowds with their punk rock attitude. Even with a replacement bassist that has only been playing with this band for about a month, they still crushed their set. It was fun, in tune with an amped, tightly packed Echo Curio crowd that hung unto every note. Set listed included “Dead and Gone,” “I am Going Blink,” “Sick Man,” “Exhausted” and more. The Rough Kids gave me another wonderful night of music in Los Angeles as we try discover new bands to share with friends going into 2009.
I have been to the Troubadour many, many times in my life. And I have been privileged enough to see some amazing shows. I will not list them here, since that might take all day. But let me tell you, I have now added to my Troubadour memory file after hearing The Virgins perform there last night. With a pulsating 5 piece band that just works so incredibly well on stage, The Virgins sound with just a tinge of the late 70′s stones funky inspired bass sounds, takes their approach to the new wave thing they are doing and make it really their own. The Virgins totally crushed their performance last night. Packed to the brim, the Troubadour was again gifting us with a night of insane music that could have only been delivered by a fired up Virgins crew that wanted to give us something to think about long after our night ended.
I did not have a care in the world last night. I was just another person in the crowd, no pen, no paper, void of expectations, and it just happened. A few minutes with a band in town for a one night stand before going up the coast to San Francisco. And what a few minutes it was. A crowd, diverse in its age and lifestyle, were all treated the same, with a band that definitely had the power to move those watching. My only compliant about the show, well actually there were two. The music was so infused with such a danceable vibe, that I cannot believe the crowd was just not matching The Virgins enthusiasm. That, and the fact that I wished they would have played longer. It was special, so special, I almost felt like asking them to just do the whole set again, because I did not want to go home.
As I sat on the famed wooden benches at The Troubadour, benches pulsating to another incredible performance, I noticed the lead singers pants were down to his ankles. That is pretty much how I felt, silly, relaxed, you know when you get that liberated feeling, where you just need to shed things, and be free. So he shed his pants, I shed my expectations and was given a moment where I could just be. Free. Last night, I was just enveloped in The Virgins, nothing else mattered. There was something about how the band performed. Maybe it was just me, but listening to The Virgins, it was as if their sound, their presence was bigger then it really was. In a weird sense(possibly a combination of being sleep deprived and doped up on caffeine), I knew I was at the Troubadour with a few hundred people, but I felt like I was with thousands of people at a bigger venue. Weird, I know, but The Virgins presence left me feeling a bit disconnected with everything else, and just hanging unto every note. While I was not levitating, I did notice this weird sense that I was somewhere else. Maybe, what I was feeling, was an a 80′s flashback that brought me back as a kid listening to so many of the bands that must have influenced The Virgins take on the sounds they now make. Whatever it was, who really cares. Their music was so dam visual for me, it did bring me back to another point in my life.
The Virgins ended their encore with Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion,” and all I can say is this- The Virgins, last night at the Troubadour, were flawless and energetic.It was a perfect way to end my day and has given me another memorable night at the Troubadour which I will never forget.
A crowd of eager eyes and ears who’ve waited too long to see the band re-unite and do new material is waiting for them to get on stage. Sa-Ra is performing tonight at the recently opened Dakota music venue, and though I wasn’t sure what to expect from a live performance, I too was finding myself anxious to see what these musical mysteries were going to pull out of the hat. With a full band, back up singers, bull horns and briefcases, I could see this night going a lot of directions. With a unique style all their own, Sa-Raputs the “indie” in individual, and it’s obvious that’s how they like it. With an appeal that is part hip-hop and funkadelic, Sa-Ra seems to carry the torch for those that want to go back into the future on a fantastic voyage, giving the people a soundtrack to groove and party to, while maintaining a sense of artistic loyalty to never be inside the box. Their seven piece band that includes horns, percussion, drums, bass and keys, are the introduction to the voyage, having kicked off the set with over 10 minutes of some instrumental lubrication to get the audience ready and in the mood for the main act. The three core members of Sa-Ra have taken their time to make sure that the music they put out is something to see and feel, and once everyone is on stage, including the addition of three lovely and sexy back up singers, the performers look more like a fashonista cartel ready to start the party.
Afro Magnetic Spirtualism is the term that Sa-Ra member Shafiq Husayan uses to describes the music that he and his two band mates- Taz Arnold and Om’Mas Keith- make. “It’s all about sex and love, and drugs and shit.” Shafiq explains tonight from the stage. ” All the shit we know you creative ma’fuckas in here are into.” And he’s right. The room is filled with LA’s sexiest and artsy crowd, gyrating to the visual and “vivid” music on stage. With a total of 13 musical members, Sa-Ra is doing all they can to move about and keep the energy going. Even the backup singers are not confined to their mic posts, as one of them makes her way to center stage to shake and wiggle her hips to the bass. Sa-Ra dips into song after song, each one getting a bit more graphic then the next, but maintaining an upbeat tempo that’s hard not to move some part of your body to. Big Fame, Blondie, Butterscotch, Can I get you High, Nasty You, and Shameless, are just a few of the song titles Sa-Ra covers during the musical trip. After one song, the trio looks out into the audience and asks them what they’d like to hear. “Hollywood!” an eager fan yells out. “Hollywood it is” Shafiq responds, before getting into the fans request.
Labeling themselves as Master Teachers, the three members of Sa-Ra have paid major dues to make it to this point in their career. Before introducing the world to their collective musical agendas, the three MC’s/Producers worked individually on their own with different big wig industry names such as Ice T, Dr.Dre, and Kanye West. It was in the last couple years that the group formed and released an EP that gained immediate attention, which was soon followed by bidding wars from most of the major labels. One of the gifts that stand out to so well with Sa-Ra’s abilities is their willingness to make consistent music for the audience they appeal to. When you watch their show, you see that these guys have a lot of passion and belief in what they do, and that confidence is passed around to the other 10 people on the stage, which is beautifully translated to the audience. Their name, which they define as an Egyptian term meaning the offspring of the most powerful energy, is aptly labeled, as Sa-Ra has an explosive movement behind them. In a day where an artist’s creativity and musical abilities are scrutinized most, Sa-Ra’s music has a universal appeal, with organic and underground qualities. Their music is for the party and the laid back, the crazy and the experimental, but mostly, it’s a good time.
Nico Stai. Can I tell you how many times I have missed them lately? I could but I won’t so lets just say I was fired up to finally get another chance to see them last night. Sandwiched in between the great opening set by The Savages and before The Movies, Nico Stai definitely did not disappoint me.
This four piece band, on this tranquil, yet rainy LA night, shot off the Spaceland stage from the first note of their set. With an eager crowd, the Spaceland floor quickly filled in as Nico Stai and band mates crafted a smooth set, with their flavorful, indie-driven bass lines and drums that kept the audience moving closer to the stage as the night went on.
Nico Stai performed, from the get go, and amped set of music, that kept the audience on their side, with their brilliant, sexy brass lines coming out later in the set to continue what was a perfect break from the drizzly day outside. The power of the band, finally accompanied by the two trumpeters, hooked me, making me an even bigger fan. Once again, the power of live music, taking what you thought you knew, and giving you a new appreciation, a new perspective, was what Nico Stai did for me last night. And since it was their second to last show for 2009, you can count on me being at the last one as well. I need the new perspective hearing them live gives me.
Yesterday. It was a wonderful day. It was another Monday, and I grew excited about the evening I was going to spend at Spaceland. Again. The Monday night residency this month has had some great combination’s of bands playing. And last night was no different. As my evening started, I was one of the few in the early part of the evening to listen to The Savages. The Savages erupted with their set. And although there was a small crowd, their thunderous sounds carried well into the very being of the people listening to The Savages. This Echo Park trio rocked the Spaceland stage with the energy you do not always get from an opening band.
The Savages, with a sound all there’s, with the powerful combination of Korg, drums, lead guitar all playing so tight, had a sound that reached far into the damp Los Angeles night. There is a power, almost mysterious power to the sounds from the Korg master in The Savages, and when matched with the perfect drummer and lead guitar, this trio just brings it on stage. And they continued to bring it throughout the entire set.
I like to see how crowds react to the opening bands. This small crowd was appreciative, and we all dealt with some atypical LA weather to listen to these guys this frigid evening. But it was so worth it. And we were given a real treat at the end of The Savages set when Tim James of The Movies jumped on stage and whipped out a version of “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” What a great way to start off another memorable Monday night.
