In the modern rock music world, it is rare to find a female front person who is also an instrumentalist, let alone a talented one. But there are exceptions to every rule, and in this case, the exception is The Joy Formidable’s Ritzy Bryan. Not only does the UK-dwelling chanteuse possess an amazing set of
They weren’t exactly unknowns, but after being introduced to AU via their excellent—and critically recognized—2008 release Verbs, mention of the Portland experimental pop outfit to local music fans had been met with a disconcerting number of shrugged shoulders and furrowed brows. Still, four years later, the duo had little problem selling-out the Doug Fir for
The middle of the week promised a great lineup at Union Pool on what was probably the nicest almost-spring night in Brooklyn yet. It was Dead Stars’ 7-inch release show, with Heliotropes and The Veda Rays supporting – all bands that do the Brooklyn music scene justice. (Pictured: Heliotropes) Jessica Numsuwankijkul of Heliotropes Heliotropes are
It’s been a quiet year thus far for Orange County-based singer/songwriter Emily Simonian. Having released her Pale Green EP last year to acclaim, she’s been busy recording her follow-up full-length, which has left little time for live shows. That being said, last night’s intimate show at Bar Lubitsch, once known for being trendy bar scene,
It’s been a busy year for Portland-based lo-fi outfit, Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Not only has the trio released its self-titled debut, but it has also been touring the world non-stop for well over six months now. I was able to catch the band a few months ago at The Echo, however frontman Ruban Nielson was
Matthew Dear is a man who wears many hats. At once, a DJ, a dance-music producer, an experimental pop artist, and a band leader, the New York-based producer, and co-founder of both Ghostly International and its offshoot Spectral Sound, knows no musical boundaries. This was evident last Wednesday night at Los Angeles’ up-and-coming venue, Center
Carter Tanton was who I went to see for this sold out Bowery Ballroom show, after falling in love with his song “Murderous Joy,” although Sharon Van Etten as the headliner could in no way be a disappointment, plus opener Glass Ghost proved themselves to be a fresh gem. Tanton is a singer-songwriter, whose musical
The 20th installment of the Noise Pop music festival was in full swing in San Francisco last week. Last Tuesday night was highlighted by the colorful stage show of the Flaming Lips playing to a packed house at the less than 700-person capacity venue Bimbo’s 365 Club. I was disappointed not to have landed a
All the videos I had watched of Ava Luna, or any of their songs I had listened to up until this point barely do them justice. Their show at Mercury Lounge Friday night made everything else pale in comparison. They have a whole batch of new songs on their Ice Level LP due out February
When you see Elizabeth Harper twisting and twirling on stage, seductively cooing lyrics about sex, love, and fame, and occasionally pounding on a synthesizer, it’s hard to imagine that the chanteuse started as a singer-songwriter. With the amount of energy she exudes during her live performances, it seems unnatural to picture her planted on