Don Chani and Lion Head: Ripping Up Reggae

This Tuesday, The Triple Crown in San Marcos, Texas, will feature two very different incarnations of what is essentially the same fantastic band. Aimann Raad is the front man for Lion Head, blending Middle Eastern and West African influences with the roots/Latin/dub sound of Don Chani. The Austin-based band is an established reggae powerhouse in its own right, having been invited to play The Austin Reggae Festival numerous times and sharing the stage with many other well-established names in the same genre like The Skatalites and The Wailing Souls. I first saw them open for ‘Queen of Reggae’ Sister Carol, holding their own onstage along with the Jamaican great. Several months later, they played The Granada Theater in Dallas, drawing a bigger dance crowd than the heavily-marketed headliner Mishka. Lots of reggae bands preach good vibes, peace, and love, but few actually exude them onstage. The musicianship of each integral member make this band outstanding in their own right, regardless of genre, especially to those who dismiss reggae as simple or boring. Don Chani has a rare, persuasive chemistry that challenges you not to move along to the sounds they so generously provide. Every member moves right along with the audience, not stopping once to catch their breath or to let us catch ours.

Let Don Chani and Lion Head change the way you think about reggae this Tuesday, August 24th at 9:00pm. The Triple Crown is located at 206 N. Edward Gary in San Marcos, Texas. You must be 18 and older to enter, and the cost is only $5.

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Picked By: Daniel Kohn

Who: Star Anna and the Laughing Dog

Where: Hotel Utah in San Francisco, CA

When: Tuesday, August 24 at 8 PM

Cost: $6 Adv, $8 At Door

Age Restrictions: 21+

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*Photo by Michael Beck

Picked By: Lauren Novik

Sometimes- like ALL the time in L.A., when it rains, it pours- and this totally applies to good things too!  Next week Entice and local favorites Fight From Above will be rocking out in sunny So Cal!  The Troubadour will play host to both bands- and I highly recommend both!  Entice kickstarts the week with their set on Tuesday, August 24, doors open at 8 and tickets are $12.00!  Fight From Above graces the stage two days later on Thursday, August 26 @ 9pm and tickets are $10 for them!  Note to our underage rockaholics, this show is all ages, so you’re good to go!  Pretty sure I covered the who, what, when, where and as for why- well, like anyone needs an excuse to add more good music to their lives…

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Picked By: Cervante Pope

Who: The Growlers

Where: Cafe Coda in Chico, CA

When: Wednesday, August 25 at 8 PM

Cost: Free

Age Restrictions: All Ages

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Picked By: Kelly Montgomery

Who: Nurses with Dragging an Ox Through Water and Operative

Where: Holocene in Portland, OR

When: Thursday, August 26 at 8:30 PM

Cost: $7 Adv, $8 Day of

Age Restrictions: 21+

Nurses is an up-and-coming band that you won’t want to miss live. They are awesome. Creative layering and the unique vocals of Aaron Chapman take these indie-pop tunes to a dreamy, distinctly Pacific Northwest place. Live, they effortlessly recreate the cozy, homemade feel of their debut album, Apple’s Acre. Check them out at Portland’s finest minimalist hipster joint, Holocene, this thursday for a great show.

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Picked By: Todd Prodanovich

Who: The Hold Steady

Where: Velvet Jones in Santa Barbara, CA

When: Friday, August 27

Cost: $19

Age Restrictions: All Ages

This Brooklyn-based five piece is known for bringing that pure, old-fashioned rock and roll to the stage with a ferocious love for blazing guitars and rich storytelling. Lead singer Craig Finn has quite a knack for telling a story, and whether his words move you to laughter or sorrow, you can’t help but get sucked into them. The Hold Steady are still fresh of their May 2010 release of Heaven is Whenever, which means we can all look forward to some new live tracks.

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Picked By: Todd Prodanovich

Who: The Chemical Brothers with Chromeo and Yacht

Where: The Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, CA

When: Sunday, August 29 at 7:00 PM

Cost: $36+

Age Restrictions: All Ages

The Chemical Brothers are some kind of amazing. They have been making electronic/psychedelic tunes for decades now, and their new album Further shows that they aren’t slowing down anytime soon. What I’m really excited about, however, is everyone’s favorite Canadian dance duo Chromeo. I saw them a few months ago, but was super bummed to see their set cut short. The 30 minutes that I saw was absolutely awesome though, and I would be hard pressed to think of a band that starts a party better than Chromeo. The show will also feature a performance by up-and-comers YACHT, who you can familiarize yourself with here thanks to staff writer Kelly Montgomery.