Weekly Picks -4/6

April 6th, 2009

Another great week of live music in LA and Long Beach. Thanks for joining us! If you like what we’re trying to do, pass us along to your peeps

For every show in LA: Click Here

Monday: 4/6
Juliette Commagere, 9PM @ The Echo, Echo Park

Tuesday: 4/7
Electrocute, 9PM @ Spaceland, Silverlake
Decelis, 7PM, @ Hotel Cafe, Hollywood
Angela Wood, 10 PM @ Dakota Lounge, Hollywood

Wednesday: 4/8
The Bumpers, 9PM @ Mr. T’s, Highland Park
Tasso, 9PM @ Scene Bar, Glendale
Tall Tales, 9PM @ L’Keg, Echo Park

Thursday: 4/9
Bobb Bruno, 9PM @ The Smell, Echo Park
Del The Funky Homosapien, 9PM @ The Glass House, Pomona

Friday: 4/10
Dark Star Orchestra, 9PM @ El Rey, Los Angeles
The Amateurs, 9PM @ Pehrspace, Echo Park
Railcars, 10PM @ The Smell, Echo Park

Saturday: 4/11
B-Side Players, 9PM @ Saint Rocke, Hermosa Beach
Punk Rock Social, 9PM @ Alex’s, Long Beach
She Kills Robots, 9PM @ Room 5, Los Angeles

Sunday: 4/12
Headlights, 9PM @ Spaceland, Silverlake
The Cult of Horns Events, 9PM @ The Scene Bar, Glendale

Dark Dark Dark @ Hotel Cafe

March 28th, 2009

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I can’t even begin to classify Dark Dark Dark. Are they Gothic Cabaret? European-folk-fusion? Classical banjo-jazz done indie style? No… None of those really capture what this band is. All I know is, last night at the Hotel Café, this band played some really, really pretty music. On top of that, I now have a newfound respect for the accordion.

Dark Dark Dark have the least traditional instrumentation the indie scene has had in a long time. No guitars, no drum kits, no sonic synths or fuzzy effect pedals. Just banjo, cello, piano, trumpet, upright bass, and (of course) the accordion. That’s right, the accordion is cool again. Forget about Urkel or Polka or any of those other cheesy stereotypes. Lead singer Nona Invie played her accordion with passion, making some super touching (and sexy) sounds.

They started the evening with the sizzling hot “Trouble No More”, a song about unrequited love that was overflowing with haunting imagery. Invie crooned with her rich, raspy vocals, “Find me the muddiest shore, that’s where I’ll go to get lost, I wont cause you no trouble no more.” Oh dear, this song hit really close to home. In another song, Marshall LaCount deftly plucked his banjo and offered, “I will make you a boat out of lightning and fill it with pearls.” A somber trumpet solo followed and I melted. The music was just so damn beautiful. But it was also extremely gothic too. In “Junk Bones” Invie seethes: “all the junk you fill your bones with, it fills us too… all the rope you hang your neck with, it left a mark.” Oooh, that one hurt too…

With a name like Dark Dark Dark, it’s no wonder they’re so good at revealing inner sadness about true love lost. My heart was often breaking right along to Jonathan Kaiser’s cellos (yes, I still adore cellos). These guys took the “I really wish you loved me as much as I loved you” sentiment and elevated it to poetry. Really lovely musical poetry. The reason it worked so well though, is the music itself was generally up-tempo and lively. It was the kind of music you want to play you’re walking through the rain in Paris (or even just when you want to pretend you’re in Paris).

I loved how well composed the music and the lyrics were. I loved hearing instruments I rarely hear live. And most of all, I loved being made to see the accordion in a brand new light. I was so impressed with Dark Dark Dark that I even bought one of their t-shirts after the show. And in case you’re wondering, yes, it has an accordion on it.

-Rachel K.
www.loudvine.com

Weekly Picks – 3/9

March 9th, 2009

Some great shows this week. But as always, if you want to access the biggest calendar of events, Click Here:

INDIE:
Pink Mochi -3/9, 9PM @ Silverlake Lounge, Silverlake
Roco Le Duca & The Burden -3/10, 9PM @ Troubadour, West Hollywood
Rhone Occupation, One Trick Pony- 3/11, 9PM @ Silverlake Lounge, Silverlake

HIP HOP:
Jo Wilkinson and Eligh -3/10, 7PM @ Amoeba Music, Hollywood

FOLK:
Fishtank Ensemble – 3/11, 10 PM @ Bordello, Los Angeles

POP:
Cut Copy – 3/10, 9 PM @ The Music Box, Hollywood
Lady Gaga -3/13, 9PM @ The Wiltern, Los Angeles
Katie Costello – 3/14, 9 PM @ Hotel Café, Hollywood

TROPICAL:
Pizza! -3/9, 9PM @ Perhspace, Echo Park

ROCK:
Christopher Hawley Rollers – 3/12, 9PM @ Air Conditioned, Venice
Steve Soto & The Twister Hearts – 3/12, 9PM @ Alex’s, Long Beach
Bastidas -3/13, 9PM @ Motion LA, Los Angeles

ALTERNATIVE:
Ana Egge -3/11, 9PM @ Home, Silverlake
Ghosts Machinists, Electric Children -3/12, 9PM @ Mr T’s, Highland Park
Felt Drawings, Former Ghosts -3/15, 9PM @ The Smell, Echo Park

ACOUSTIC:
Angela Wood -3/10, 9PM @ Dakota Lounge, Santa Monica
Sara Bareilles – 3/12, 9PM @ Hotel Cafe, Hollywood
Sara Bareilles – 3/13, 9PM @ Hotel Cafe, Hollywood

SOUL:
Derek Carter -3/10, 9PM @ El Cid, Echo Park

Weekly Picks – 3/2

March 2nd, 2009

So…Monday again. We have decided to change up it this week and ask for you to tell US about YOUR favorite bands and we will go check them and write about them. So if you have any suggestions, just let us know.

On another note, we just uploaded about 600 shows for the next three weeks to Loudvine.com. Say it with live music this week; take yourself, your neighbor, your friends, or your imaginary lover out for a night of wonderful live music this week. I promise you we got just what you are into and then tell us about what shows you went to.

This week, as we always will, we say again thank you for supporting us and getting the word out on Loudvine.com and we will be giving away our Cut Copy Tix shortly. We also have some other cool contests on the site.

INDIE:
Nico Stai -3/2, 10PM @ Spaceland, Silverlake

Yellow Red Sparks – 3/2, 10PM @ Silverlake Lounge, Silverlake

HoneyHoney -3/3, 9PM @ Largo, Los Angeles

Delta Spirit -3/4, 9PM @ The Music Box, Hollywood

Carletta Sue, Dorian Wood -3/6, 9PM @ Perhspace, Echo Park

HIP HOP:
Al The Drown Prince -3/4, 9PM @ Dakota Lounge, Santa Monica

PUNK:
The Meka Leka HI’s, The Leeches -3/5, 10PM @ Mr. T’s, Highland Park

ROCK:
Lukas Nelson – 3/2, 9PM @ Molly Malones, Los Angeles

Tigers Can Bite You -3/4, 10PM @ Bordello, Los Angeles

Thee Makeout Party -3/5, 9PM @ MotionLA, Los Angeles

Visa, Peggy Sue, Valley Circle – 3/5, 9PM @ Troubadour, Hollywood

Robert Francis -3/6, 9PM @ Home, Silverlake

ALTERNATIVE:
The Mayberry’s, Motor Gun Hotel -3/5, 9PM @ Trips, Santa Monica

Halloween Swim Team, Mega Wand, Not The Government -3/5, 9PM @ The Smell, Echo Park

ACOUSTIC:
Aya Larkin -3/3, 9PM @ Room 5, Los Angeles

Jen & Abby -3/7, 9PM @ Hotel Cafe, Hollywood

FUNK:
The Greyboy Allstars -3/7, 9PM @ Troubadour, West Hollywood

SOUL:
Chris Pierce -3/4, 9PM @ Hotel Café, Hollywood

JAZZ:
Pharoah Sanders -3/5/26, 8:30PM @ Jazz Bakery, Culver City

DJ SETS:
Palm Thursdays (Grime) -3/5 9PM @ Arsenal, Santa Monica

Sonido Sundays (Reggae) -3/8, 9PM @ Little Temple, Los Angeles

Freedom Sunday’s (Hip Hop) -3/8, 9PM @ L’Scorpion Hollywood

Glowin’ (Soul) -3/8, 9PM @ Hyperion, Silverlake

Loudvine.com

Weekly Picks – February 23rd

February 23rd, 2009

We’re foolishly trying to help you get out and enjoy more music every week. While we can’t shower you with red carpets or gift bags, we can help you find every show every night of the week. Whether you’re a hipster or just a regular person like me, I need you to know, there are some ridiculous shows this week!

Chances are we got something for all of your potential moods this week, from going out in a group to courting someone, from needing a night out alone, to just needing some inspiration. For complete calendar click on Loudvine.com

This week, we will simply say, again, thank you for supporting us and getting the word out on Loudvine.com and we will be giving away our Cut Copy Tix shortly. We also have some other cool contests on the site.

INDIE:
Le Switch, As Tall As Lions, Andy Clockwise, The Faraway Places -2/23, 9PM @ Spaceland, Silverlake

Flying Tourbillon Orchestra – 3/1, 9PM @ Dakota Lounge, Santa Monica

ROCK:
No Turning Back, Steel Nation -2/23, 8PM @ MotionLA, Los Angeles

Dear & The Headlights, Kinch, My Pet Saddle -2/24, 8PM @ Knitting Factory, Hollywood

Modest Mouse -2/24, 8PM @ Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood

Babyland , The Sweet Kill , Anavan -2/25, 8PM @ Viper Room, West Hollywood

ALTERNATIVE:
Alexis Gideon, Shelley Short, Mycroft Holmes, Paleo -2/23, 9PM @ Pehrspace, Echo Park

Robyn Hitchcock -2/25,7PM @ Amoeba, Hollywood

Girls -2/26, 9PM @ Silverlake Lounge, Silverlake Lounge

Pic Vicious -2/26, 10PM @ Dakota Lounge, Santa Monica

Animal Collective, Silk Flowers -2/27, 9PM @ Troubadour, Hollywood

FOLK:
Sierra Swan, Carina Round-2/25, 9PM @ Largo (The Little Room), Los Angeles

ACOUSTIC:
Mikal Blue -2/24, 8PM @ Room 5 Lounge, Los Angeles

Catte Adams -2/26, 8PM @ Kulak’s Woodshed, Valley Village

EXPERIMENTAL:
Watts Ensemble, Paul Bailey Ensemble, Brain Walsh -2/25, 9PM @ Mr’T’s Bowl, Highland Park

Nasa Space Universe, Moment Trigger, The Amazements, Knight Rider -2/27, 9PM @ The Smell, Echo Park

JAZZ:
Lou Donaldson Quartet – 2/24, 8:30 PM @ Jazz Bakery, Culver City

Lou Donaldson Quartet – 2/25, 8:30 PM @ Jazz Bakery, Culver City

HIP HOP:
Kool Keith: Dr Octagon Vs Dr Dooom -2/27, 9PM @ The El Rey, Los Angeles

Dead Prez -2/27, 9PM @ Key Club, Hollywood

PUNK:
Tijuana Panthers -2/26, 10 PM @ Silverlake Lounge, Silverlake

ELECTRONIC:
Free Moral Agents (electronic Set), Nocando -2/24, 10PM @ The Prospector, Long Beach

DJ:
Reflection with Aceyalone & Aloe Blacc -2/25, PM @ Zanzibar, Santa Monica

Trojan Lounge -2/25, 9 PM @ Medusa Lounge, Los Angeles

Soul In The Park W/ J. Rocc Of The Beat Junkies -2/25, 9 PM @ S Bar, Los Angeles

Dj Sg -2/26, 9PM @ Trips, Santa Monica

Firecracker -2/27, 9PM @ Grand Star Jazz Club, Los Angeles

www.loudvine.com

Joshua Radin @ The Music Box

February 23rd, 2009

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Having grown up singing along to old Grateful Dead and Dylan records, I’m no stranger to folk rock. The familiar sight of banjos and mandolins always makes me optimistic for a good show, so of course I was right at home at Joshua Radin’s show at the Music Box last night. However, due to my own unique height challenges, standing-room-only venues pose a unique obstacle. Finally, after finding a place where I could just barely see over everyone else’s head, I could enjoy the show. The whole show opened up with a bang before the curtain even rose. With almost no warning, Jesse Harris’, Joshua Radin’s lead guitarist and opening act, ripped right through the room with his guitar as soon as the lights came down.

After rocking through his first song, the crowd went wild when he invited Ingrid Michaelson to come up and sing with him on his second song. Other members of the Hotel Café crowd had cameos throughout the show, including Maria Taylor and Meiko, who also opened the show. Joshua Radin is clearly comfortable with being onstage, since he made easy conversation with the crowd, at some point introducing one of his songs as “not melancholic at all, about an equal minded girl with librarian glasses” amid cheers from all the college frat boys in the audience. By the end of the evening, he had the crowd completely captivated, whether he was playing by himself or with a full band, singing with a sincerity and sweetness that is a breath of fresh air in this age of vocadors and intonators. He finally ended his set with the “best soul song ever written”, a version of “Bring It On Home” To Me that gave me goose bumps. By the end of the song, Joshua Radin’s contagious energy had completely taken over the room, and the band was so into it that all I could think was I’ve never heard Sam Cooke rock so hard. At some point during his set, Joshua Radin took time to remark that there’s “nothing like a sold out show at the Henry Fonda to make me feel good” and I couldn’t agree more.

Elene P.
www.loudvine.com

Weekly Picks – February 16th

February 16th, 2009

Hey Loudvine.com Friends,
So this may or may not be a short week for some of you guys. But we wanted to give you a few music choices that will make up for the filler time you have this rainy week. As always we have just updated the website with about 400 new events for the next few weeks. So we will leave it at that. But here, as always are some weekly picks that jumped out at us. For a complete calendar click on GIGS. Chances are we got something for all of you when it comes to your music tastes.

INDIE:
Sonic Medusa, Taxi, Green and Wood -2/16, 9M @ The Scene Bar, Glendale

Charlie Wadhams -2/17, 7 PM @ Hotel Café, Hollywood

The Mystery Jets – 2/18, 8:30 PM @ Spaceland, Silverlake

As Tall As Lions -2/18, 10:30 PM @ Troubadour, West Hollywood

Eleni Mandell -2/19, 8 PM @ The Echo, Echo Park

ROCK:
Lightnin Woodcock, Stab City, Tulsa Skull Swingers -2/17, 8 PM @ Bordello, Downtown

Murder City Devils with Tweak Bird and Silverghost -2/18, 8 PM @ The Music Box, Hollywood

After Midnight Project with The Jakes, Wicker -2/20, 8 PM @ Key Club, West Hollywood

Lukas Nelson and The Promise Of The Real & The Duke Daniels Band -2/21, 10 PM @ Hotel Café, Hollywood

ALTERNATIVE:
Lykke Li -2/17, 8 PM @ The Glass House, Pomona

Of Montreal -2/19, 8 PM @ The Glass House, Pomona

Thought Crime and Special Guests -2/20, 8 PM @ Trips, Santa Monica

FOLK:
Heather Porcaro -2/19, 9PM @ Largo (Little Room), LA

Manuok -2/20, 11:30 PM @ Silverlake Lounge, Silverlake

ACOUSTIC:
Jay Nash, Joey Ryan, Chris Seefried and Roy Jay -2/16, 8 PM @ Room 5 Lounge, LA

Steve Carroll, Paul Freeman -2/17, 8 PM @ Dakota Lounge, Santa Monica

Chris Pierce -2/22, 8 PM @ Sainte Rocke, Hermosa Beach

WORLD:
Cava, Cuchata -2/19, 8 PM @ Dakota Lounge, Santa Monica

POP:
Wildbirds & Peacedrums -2/16, 7 PM @ Amoeba, Hollywood

Def Jam Music Showcase -2/21, 6:30 PM @ Aqua Lounge, Beverly Hills

JAZZ:
The Soul Of John Black -2/17, 9 PM @ The Mint, Hollywood

HIP HOP:
The Root Down -2/19, 9 PM @ Little Temple, LA

PUNK:
The Franks, Spider Problem, Kill Kill Kill, Bestial Mouths -2/20, 9 PM @ Pehrspace, LA

ELECTRONIC:
Kid Infinity, Bastidas, Houseshoez, E & E -2/21, 9 pm @ The Smell, Echo Park

DJ :
Funkmosphere – 2/16, 10 PM @ Carbon, Los Angeles

West Coast Wednesday’s – 2/18, 9 PM @ Rhythm Lounge, Long Beach Feb 18th, Wed

Relations(All Things House) – 2/19, 9 PM @ The Vine Bar, Hollywood

Afro-Funke – 2/19, 9 PM @ Zanzibar, Santa Monica

The Palms Weekend -2/19, 9 PM @ Saints & Sinners, Culver City

Steve Aoki / Adam Freeland – 2/21, 10 PM @ Vangaurd, Hollywood

Ladies On Loc – 2/22, 9PM @ Carbon, Los Angeles

www.loudvine.com

Kim DiVine @ Hotel Cafe

February 13th, 2009

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Kim DiVine doesn’t have a gimmick. There are no bells or whistles or even a Macbook on stage with her. She is straight up, straight forward, folk rock. She’s a girl on stage with nothing but a guitar, her voice, and two great supporting musicians. With just this and her heartfelt music, she turned the Hotel Café all warm and cozy on an especially chilly Thursday night.

Mixing acoustic and electric guitar (and sometimes doing a little dance while switching between the two) Kim DiVine was at her strongest when she was at her simplest. “Blue Skies”, her self-professed “breakup song”, showcased her rich and clear vocals. Then, while introducing “All Night” (a fragile song off of her latest album) she told us, “On the album, this is all crazy and produced with strings and everything. But tonight, I’m going to give you the stripped down version.” There was something so refreshing about how honestly she said that. Her frankness was often the source of a lot of good-natured humor, too. Especially when she took a sip of her drink and said, “Sorry guys, this is my whiskey break.”

During her short but sweet set, Kim DiVine made us all feel as if we were her close friends. In fact, many of her close friends were there to support her that night! Again, it was so nice to hear some simple and honest music without any pretense. Los Angeles has a lot of pretension, but none of it was there last night. In fact, her music made me desperately wish that the Hotel Café had a fireplace surrounded by big couches and trays of hot cocoa. That’s exactly how I would describe Kim DiVine’s music: It’s the audio equivalent of a cup of hot chocolate. Her sound is warm, sweet, and perfect for a cold night.

-Rachel K.
www.loudvine.com

Jen & Abby @ Hotel Cafe

February 2nd, 2009

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Just when I feel like giving up on Los Angeles, this city manages  to show off its very best. Last night, the Hotel Café was super packed with an excited, enthusiastic, and (dare I say?) happy crowd. This was a great change of pace, as several shows I’ve been to the last week have been pretty empty. We were all there to see Jen & Abby, a local indie-rock girl band. But instead of the sticking to same old indie sounds, they provided the audience with a sort of musical time machine. Jumping through genre and style, they got the place buzzing with even more energy.

As soon as they started playing, I knew it was going to be a fun show. Lead singer Abby Miller was phenomenal. She was our bubbly pixie-like host for the evening, constantly offering jokes and anecdotes for the audience’s pleasure. Instead of introducing a song she simply said, “This song is… Oh you’ll figure it out!” Jen Trani on guitar offered the steady musical grounding to Miller’s rich vocals. The songs bounced from jazzy numbers (the king that belong in a black and white Cary Grant movie) to the sort of 1990’s Grrrl rock that Seattle would be jealous of.

Formed in Los Angeles four years ago, Jen & Abby are apparently Hotel Café regulars. They have a pretty strong local following and I can see why. The band members were great at what they did. I was particularly impressed by Adrienne Woods on cello. I’m a huge sucker for cello, and she was not disappointing. My first favorite song of the night was a Gothic folk song about a father who loses his daughter and seeks revenge. It was dark and haunting and put the Hotel Café at a stand still (which is quite the accomplishment when you think about how many people in the audience were drinking). After this number, Miller looked at the audience mischievously and got ready for the last song.

It was time to really bring the house down. It was time for a 1970’s, badass, groove-tastic reinterpretation of Britney Spear’s Toxic. The song was so well done that I didn’t recognize it until half way through. I just stood there and thought, “Wait a minute? This is a Britney Spears song. But… But… it sounds good!” Britney should take more than a few lessons from Abby Miller’s example. People were dancing, clapping their hands, and not a single pair of booty shorts were in sight.

All in all: Great people, great music, great times. Jen & Abby provided an instant pick-me-up to my night without that nasty sugar-crash that Red Bull causes. Thanks LA, I needed that.

Rachel K.
www.loudvine.com

Mia Riddle @ The Hotel Cafe

January 21st, 2009

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Have you ever had the week from hell? You know, the stuff country music songs are made of. Lost a job? Broke up with your girlfriend? Your dog died? Yeah? Well, this is the kind of week I was having when I saw Mia Riddle and Her Band at the Hotel Café. I just knew I had to get out of the house and stop wallowing in my problems. Easier said than done, right? And I had no clue what this band was all about. I didn’t even check their myspace page beforehand.

Based out of Brooklyn, Mia Riddle offered straightforward indie rock with just a hint of Southern twang. Their music could be fragile and somber, but never became dull or too slow. Whether it was James Rickman on the banjo or Amy Merrill on glockenspiel, there was always a cool, gimmick-free musical dynamic. But the real charmer of this group was their lead vocalist, Mia Riddle herself.

Vocally, she alternated from emotional and vulnerable, to delicate, to powerful, and everything in between. Her lyrics invoked the things great love letters are made of: “I am crushed like a paper cut by the impossibility” in City Song, or “There was a minute, maybe two, when we were close” in Hurricane. But the real punch-in-the-gut came from the song Suitcase. Riddle, with a fragile croon, sings, “My heart is bruised, I take it so light cause there’s nothing to lose.” The sincerity with which she sang those words… They struck a chord with me, causing me to tear up far more than I would have liked to in public.

As soon as she finished Suitcase, she gave the crowd a giant grin and said, “Sorry, didn’t mean to bum you guys out.” That was that, and the rest of the set was a solid, upbeat rock-out. And good, because I was pretty bummed out. But that was alright, because Mia Riddle’s high energy was infectious. They were smiley, but not sappy. I didn’t know it when I bought the ticket, but Mia Riddle and Her Band were a lovely remedy for my terrible mood. They made me stop worrying about my life for a full 45 minutes. That’s quite the accomplishment in my book. So if you’ve been having a crappy week too, stop wallowing. Get outside, see a good show, and watch your week get better.

-Rachel K.
www.loudvine.com

 
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