Ah, to be young and a rock star. The Smith Westerns have a lot going on at the moment. They just released their sophomore album Dye It Blonde to widespread acclaim. They recently started a nation wide tour that will see them not only headlining smaller venues like the Echo but also playing some of
Despite the cheers that erupted from the antsy Key Club crowd, Kendrick Lamar walked onstage last night like the underdog fighter in a championship boxing match. Planting himself squarely in the center of the stage, he bowed his head, raised one fist and began the song he claims best explains him, “The Heart Pt. 2.”
Cake Shop is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to hear new bands in New York. My first experience with the venue was back in January, when I saw Emil & Friends, Ravens and Chimes and Old Monk, a night as fantastic as it was varied. Last night’s show reinforced my impression that Cake Shop isn’t
Living in Los Angeles you become inadvertently accustomed to the unusual. I knew we were all in for something insane solely based on the various tricks and treats peppered across the Bootleg Theater’s stage. After carefully assembling a large easel, propping up a blank white canvas (that definitely didn’t stay white for long) and scattering
Slang Chickens is the kind of band that makes you want to start a band. Taking a very generous definition of “alternative”, the SoCal quartet combines alt-country, punk, post rock, and pop in ways that seem to redefine the very boundaries they are exploring. Last night at The Echo they began their February residency with
On Friday night, I headed down to the Echoplex in Los Angeles to check out Ólafur Arnalds, an Icelandic musician. I only got lost about 12 times this time and drove in about 15 circles before I found it (an all-time low for me) before I headed into to the darkly lit venue, which reminded me
As far as venues like basements go, Goodbye Blue Monday is like someone’s lived-in basement that over time accumulated countless random thrift store knick knacks. A wall on one side of the stage is painted to look like it’s made of subwoofers, and merry-go-round ponies straddle a rail on the other side. I got there
My Thursday night at Union Hall began perfectly – with a juicy hamburger. Turns out this classy bar in the heart of Park Slope doesn’t just have warm lighting, a library/lounge and (I kid you not) two bocce courts. It’s got great food too. And of course, live music. I ventured out to Union Hall
On my way to see Sugar & Gold last night at The Bootleg Theater, I caught the tail end of Yip Deceiver‘s set. The keyboardist was Nicholas Dobbratz of Sugar & Gold, and the guitarist and lead vocalist was Davey Pierce. You might recognize either or both of them from their work touring with of
I found out about Young Prisms after seeing that they were on tour with The Radio Dept, and figured that the opening band for one of my favorite bands has to be worth checking out. Young Prisms are from San Francisco, CA, and they sound like a shoegaze version of Sonic Youth. Alright, I’m there.