Wednesday 09.03.08: DUB CLUB @ echoplex

with Resident DJs:
Tom Chasteen
Roy Corderoy
The Dungeonmaster
Boss Harmony

Spinning the best in classic reggae, dub and dancehall

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
(Main Entrance is through Alley)
Los Angeles, CA 90026

FMI:
Dub Club on MySpace

9pm / $5 / 21+

Friday 04.04.08: FIRST FRIDAYS with THE WATSON TWINS / CASTLEDOOR @ Natural History Museum

First Fridays – Dinner, Discussion, Music & More

with:
The Watson Twins || Listen
Castledoor

@ Natural History Museum
900 Exposition Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90007

FMI: http://www.nhm.org/firstfridays/

5:30pm – Tour
6:30pm – Discussion
8:00pm – Music

5pm / Adult $9, students (w. ID) $6.50, Members FREE / All Ages

Tuesday 05.06.08: LAURA VEIRS / LIAM FINN @ echo

Laura Veirs || Listen || Watch

“Sorry I was cold, I was protecting myself,” Laura Veirs begins, the first line in the first song (“Pink Light”) of her sixth luminous album, in a voice that is clear and pure and vibrato-free with just the hint of a child’s blurry vulnerability at the edges. It sounds personal, confessional, unadorned and yet with the next line the verse turns fancifully metaphoric. “Drifting along with my swords out flying /Tattering my own sails and I tattered yours, too.” It is the first in a salvo of 12 episodes of songwriterly magical realism, set in tidal pools and seagoing vessels and populated with pirates and mermaids and sentient forest fires. – Dusted

with:
Liam Finn || Listen

8pm / $12 adv, $14 dos / all ages

Tuesday 04.22.08: INDIAN JEWELRY / GENEVA JACUZZI / THE MUSLIMS / IMAAD WASIF with TWO PART BEAST @ echo

Indian Jewelry || Listen

It feels like we’ve been talking about Indian Jewelry’s sweaty noise-psych forever, probably because their songs are so epic that we feel like they took us on a really intense quest or like, gave us heatstroke. But that’s the best thing about IJ, they make us want to leave the city and drive around, our backs stuck to the car seat and a really smelly dog hanging out next to us. – Fader

With:
Geneva Jacuzzi
The Muslims
Imaad Wasif With Two Part Beast || Listen

8:30pm / $8adv, $10dos / 18+

Thursday 04.03.08: SLEEPINGBOY / SUMO / DANIEL BRUMMEL (from Ozma) @ echo

Sleepingboy

with:
Sumo
Daniel Brummel

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Tuesday 04.01.08: THE POOR EXCUSES / SWORDS OF FATIMA / TALL HANDS / LIFE UNDER WATER @ echo

The Poor Excuses

The Poor Excuses play wordy, rambunctious, groove-heavy indie punk with a freaky edge. – Flavorpill

with:
The Swords of Fatima
Tall Hands || Listen
Life Under Water

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Tuesday 04.08.08.: NOBODY / THE GASLAMP KILLER / CAROLINE / JACK TUNG @ echo

Nobody || Listen

Nobody (Elvin Estela), has been a fixture in the Los Angeles music scene since the early 1990s, first as a producer for many of the premier emcees at the Good Life Cafe/Project Blowed, and then as a remixer, producer, and important member of the global electronic and indie-rock communities. He has worked with, remixed, and toured in support of the Postal Service, Prefuse 73, The Mars Volta, Aceyalone, Mia Doi Todd, and many others. His releases for Ubiquity and Plug Research have garnered him not only critical praise, but the clout to define and redefine his sound as he sees fit. His productions effortlessly flow from the hip-hop themes of his early career to the psychadelia and rock motifs of his most recent work, and his vast musical vocabulary allows him to deliver with each and every mix. – Mush Records

with:
The Gaslamp Killer || Listen
Caroline || Listen
Jack Tung || Listen

8pm / $8 / 18+

Tuesday 04.29.08: SHE & HIM featuring ZOOEY DESCHANEL & M. WARD / LAVENDER DIAMOND @ Vista Theatre

She & Him featuring Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward || Listen

She & Him is a story of musical serendipity: Two artists, each renowned in their own creative fields, meet and recognize a certain shared nostalgia. The result is destined to be one of the musical highlights of the year.

Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward first met to record a version of Richard and Linda Thompson’s “When I Get To The Border” for a movie soundtrack. Immediately struck by one another’s talents and finding an instant rapport, Zooey let slip that she wrote her own songs which she recorded alone at home on her computer. Somewhat shy about anyone hearing these musical morsels she eventually sent the demos to Matt who was instantly impressed. They soon reconvened at his Portland studio to begin work.

Embracing the warm sound of early analog recordings, Volume 1 is more than just a showcase for Zooey’s rich and endearing voice; it’s a distinctive and endlessly charming album. The songs themselves give a respectful nod to the likes of Dusty Springfield, Linda Ronstadt and The Zombies while Matt’s production gives them just the right amount of golden era sheen. Whether Zooey’s channeling Ronnie Spector as on “I Was Made For You” or joining Matt in turning The Beatles “I Should Have Known Better” into a seductive hula guitar duet, the results are always captivating.

with:
Lavender Diamond || Listen

@ Vista Theatre
4473 Sunset Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90027

7pm / All Ages

Wednesday 04.02.08: GLACEAU presents – Charlemagne’s Birthday Show w/ THE OUTLINE / ROBOT LOVE / P.S. NEVERMIND / DREAM KIDS / THE FRANKS @ echo

The Outline || Listen
Robot Love
P.S. Nevermind
Dream Kids
The Franks

7:30pm / $5 / 18+

Tuesday 05.06.08: TIM & ERIC AWESOME TOUR @ echoplex

Tim and Eric || Watch

The main act began with a Tony Clifton-esque Tim Heidecker singing “Here She Comes” over pre-programmed Casio music. The balcony was erupting in so much laughter, I was sure there was an audience plant. So I was completely startled to turn and find myself face to face with a heavily lipsticked and wigged Eric Wareheim, hobbling through the crowd on crutches. The 6 foot 6 man in bad makeup was a hideous and hilarious sight to behold. We were treated to clips from Tim & Eric’s shows and podcasts , as well as an indulgently long behind-the-scenes with a Gary Busci coked up freakout. The best T&E moments come when they play with all the best tools of the 80s: keytars, spandexs, smoke machines, and lots of bad video effects. – Willemette Weekly

@ Echoplex
enter at
1154 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

8pm / $17 adv, $20 dos / 18+

Saturday 05.03.08: NORTEC COLLECTIVE PRESENTS: BOSTICH & FUSSIBLE @ echo

Bostich + Fussible

Their Latin Grammy-nominated Tijuana Sessions, Vol. 3 leaned more toward the techno half of their sound, but here Bostich and Fussible get closer to their Norteño side. It’s far from an acoustic album, with loops, vocoders, and synths throughout. But the accordions get turned up higher, the horns become brassier, and acoustic percussion plays a bigger role. The beats still draw more from techno, though traces of Norteño’s polka-bounce remain, as on “Shake It Up.” Some songs lean more toward electronics (“Rosarito”) than others (“Brown Bike,” which includes vocals), but everything is efficient, nothing clocking in even as long as four minutes. They’re not hard-core Norteño–no Mexican corridos about life on the border, say–but definitely closer on the family tree. – XLR8R

9pm / $10adv, $12dos / 18+

Saturday 04.12.08: DESCARGA presents CAVA @ echoplex

Cava

with:
Buyepongo

CAVA is back! This sultry Singer-Songwriter and Musician will headline the next ¡Descarga! with her all-star group on April 12th at Echoplex. Tickets are available at the door—$7 before 11pm or $10 after. CAVA’s sound is an eclectic mix of up-tempo world music that seamlessly fuses son, cumbia, salsa, ska and even Japanese Taiko drumming. Her Voice communicates a strong-willed feminine energy that is simultaneously sultry and maternal. She is a charismatic and commanding performer, backed by an all-star band that boasts residencies with Beastie Boys, Ozomatli, Mentiritas, among other musical affiliations. The ensemble features Walter Miranda on Piano, electric- keyboards and bass; Alfredo Ortiz on Drums and Timbales; Franchot Tone on Guitar and Maceo on Japanese Taiko drums. Opening the evening is an up-and-coming five-piece vallenato group, Buyepongo, that hails from East Los Angeles.

Plus Resident DJs Sloe Poke, Mando Fever, Bobby Soul, Loslito, Azul & Mexican Dubwiser spin classic salsa, cumbia, merengue, Latin hip hop, reggaeton, mashups, Brazilian and deep house grooves all night

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027

¡Descarga! is a monthly Afro-Latin music gathering for the people. This event is an alternative to the commercial salsa nights that have dominated the LA scene for years. Resident DJs Sloe Poke, Mando, Bobby Soul, Loslito, Azul and Mexican Dubwiser spin classic salsa and cumbia; plus merengue, punta and reggaeton. With live bands gracing the stage at midnight at nearly every show, it has become the taste-making New York to L.A. soiree, running over 5 years strong.

FMI:
www.descargaclub.com
Descarga on Myspace

9pm / $7 before 11pm, $10 after / 21+

Wednesday 04.09.08: SUMMER DARLING / WAIT.THINK.FAST / ARMY NAVY / KISSING TIGERS @ echo

Summer Darling || Listen

I’d never seen Summer Darling before. It only took me about three bars of the first song to fall in love with the foursome. For large portions of their set I felt like I was transplanted to the year 1994, nearly sure my track jacket had transformed itself to an old flannel shirt found at Goodwill. One or two songs reminded me of something like The Promise Ring or early Jimmy Eat World. That’s not to say that Summer Darling is playing in the past because there was something very contemporary about what they were doing. I think ten years younger and played twice as fast, and Summer Darling might be at The Smell instead of The Scene.

There was a lot of band interaction as they played, turning to face each other and look each other in the eyes. What I really loved were the lyrics. They were honest, if not venomous, but still endearing. The words to the songs were sung above, not beneath, the instrumentation and that made for a very intimate set despite the deafening buzz and fuzz. – Classical Geek Theatre

with:
Wait.Think.Fast.
Army Navy
Kissing Tigers

Plus Djs Kevin Bronson + Squaregirls

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Thursday 04.10.08: MIA DOI TODD / WINTER FLOWERS / KARIN TATOYAN @ echo

Mia Doi Todd || Listen || Watch

Mia Doi Todd is one of those artists that seem to function not just as creators in their own rite, but as connecting links between other musicians. Through collaborations, she brings together the psychedelic electro of Nobody, the lysergic country pop of Beachwood Sparks survivors, the raga-rock textures of Shankar and the sophisticated jass phrasings of Joni Mitchell. As good as La Ninja is on its own terms, it may be even more important in the way it reinforces the ties between disparate musicians within her orbit. She’s the center of one of the more interesting pop electronic scenes around these days – and this album demonstrates, through the strength of her songs and her willingness to let them out into the world, why this should be. – Dusted Magazine

with:
Karin Tatoyan || Listen
Winter Flowers || Listen

8:30pm / $8 / 18+

Friday 04.11.08: XIU XIU / THAO WITH THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN @ echo

Xiu Xiu || Listen || Watch

The San Francisco outfit, led by Jamie Stewart, are one of the most unique musical acts currently making music. Their brand of challenging and extremely personal music is distinctive and something that only Stewart and co. can do. And with Women as Lovers they have created one of their more accessible and cohesive albums to date.

In many ways, Xiu Xiu has been able to maintain its steady stance as being part of the indie-rock/pop genre and the avant-garde stylists. While this line is often blurred, even by Xiu Xiu themselves, their songs are carefully crafted pop songs with beautiful intimate touches all around. – Delusions of Adequacy

with:
Thao with the Get Down Stay Down || Listen

8pm / $10adv, $12 dos / all ages

Sunday 04.27.08: PART TIME PUNKS with Guest DJs THE TEENAGERS / THE OLD HAUNTS / LILY MARLENE plus Secret Special Guests @ echo

Guest DJs THE TEENAGERS! plus

* * * SPECIAL SECRET GUESTS who we can’t announce until Saturday nite! (stay tuned to www.parttimepunks.com for the announcement) * * *

And THE OLD HAUNTS + LILY MARLENE!

Come early and avoid the line…

plus resident djs Michael Stock and Benny Shambles spinning mutant disco * Postpunk * indiepop

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $10 / 18+

Sunday 04.20.08: PART TIME PUNKS @ echo

resident djs Michael Stock and Benny Shambles spinning mutant disco * Postpunk * indiepop

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 21+

Sunday 04.13.08: PART TIME PUNKS with GARY WAR / WEAVE @ echo

with:
Gary War
Weave

resident djs Michael Stock and Benny Shambles spinning mutant disco * Postpunk * indiepop

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 21+

Saturday 04.06.08: PART TIME PUNKS with ANAVAN / KUATO @ echo

With:
Anavan || Listen
Kuato

resident djs Michael Stock and Benny Shambles spinning mutant disco * Postpunk * indiepop

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 21+

Sunday 04.27.08: GRAND OLE ECHO w/ DEAD ROCK WEST / JEREMIAH & THE RED EYES / BOB WOODRUFF @ echo

with:
Dead Rock West
Jeremiah & The Red Eyes
Bob Woodruff

hosted by Chris Morris and DJ Cuz’n Roy

5pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 04.20.08: GRAND OLE ECHO w/ DAN JANISCH / RICH MAHAN (FROM SHURMAN) / LAST CAMPFIRE @ echo

with:
Dan Janisch
Rich Mahan (from Shurman)
Last Campfire

hosted by Chris Morris and DJ Cuz’n Roy

5pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 04.13.08: GRAND OLE ECHO w/ TONY GILKYSON / PATTY BLEE @ echo

with:
Tony Gilkyson
Patty Blee

Plus Squaredancing from 3pm-5pm

hosted by Chris Morris and DJ Cuz’n Roy

3pm / $5, FREE after 5pm / all ages

Sunday 04.06.08: GRAND OLE ECHO w/ DAVE GLEASON WITH OLD CALIFORNIO, JAIMI SHUEY, WEST OF TEXAS @ echo

with:
Dave Gleason with Old Californio
Jaimi Shuey
West of Texas

hosted by Chris Morris and DJ Cuz’n Roy

5pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 03.30.08: GRAND OLE ECHO with MIKE STINSON @ echo

Mike Stinson || Listen

hosted by Chris Morris and DJ Cuz’n Roy

5pm / FREE / 21+

Thursday 04.17.08: ELI “PAPERBOY” REED / JAIL WEDDINGS / THE SHAKELTONS / DON CAVALLI @ echo

Eli “Paperboy” Reed || Listen

So far, soul and funk of the throwback variety have been dominated by the ladies, but Eli “Paperboy” Reed could buck that trend. The blue-eyed soul sensation and his sevenpiece True Loves delivered a monster set of set of old-school R&B to a foot-loose crowd Thursday night at Club de Ville. The 24-year-old Allston, Mass., native opened with horn-driven burner “Stake Your Claim” from the forthcoming Roll With You, due out in late April on Q Division Records. At his best, the bourbon-sipping, guitar-strumming soul shouter sounds like Wilson Pickett reincarnate, down to the signature punctuating howl. Even the bravado of Pickett’s “A Man and a Half” is rivaled by “The Satisfier,” a scorching burst of R&B bravado. It’s not all high-energy shouting, though, as Reed, sporting a stuffy brown suit and Beaver Cleaver hairdo, deftly cooled the crowd with sweet soul ballad “She Walks.” – The Austin Chronicle

with:
Jail Weddings
The Shackeltons || Listen
Don Cavalli

8:30pm / $8 / 18+

Saturday 04.12.08: DIRTY PROJECTORS / NO KIDS @ echo

Dirty Projectors || Listen

While Longstreth’s initial albums were mostly string-backed folk, he’s now given himself up to rhythm– in his words, his compositions have become more “horizontal” than “vertical.” The horizontal’s great for dancing– an opportunity that arises a few times here– but verticality is still the source of the songs’ tensions. Coffman and Waiche’s coos stack harmonies with Longstreth’s bleat like little car wrecks, and even though the guitars move like a West African dance band or math rock, the songs seem propelled by the constant resolutions of notes rather than the beats themselves. – Pitchfork

with:
No Kids

8pm / $10adv, $12dos / all ages

Friday 04.25.08: UNDEGROUND with AAnchors AAweigh @ echo

with:
AAnchors AAweigh || Listen

plus resident DJs spinning the best in Brit / Indie / Soul / Twee / Madchester / Punk / Glam

FMI: ClubUnderground.net

9pm / $5 if 21+, $7 under 21 / 18+

Friday 04.18.08: UNDERGROUND with QUARTER AFTER @ echo

with:
The Quarter After || Listen

plus resident DJs spinning the best in Brit / Indie / Soul / Twee / Madchester / Punk / Glam

FMI: ClubUnderground.net

9pm / $5 if 21+, $7 under 21 / 18+

Friday 04.11.08: CLUB UNDERGROUND (following Xiu Xiu) @ echo

With resident DJs spinning the best in Brit / Indie / Soul / Twee / Madchester / Punk / Glam

FMI: ClubUnderground.net

9pm / $5 if 21+, $7 under 21 / 18+

Friday 04.04.08: UNDERGROUND with ASHBURY / BULLET FOR DALI @ echo

with:
Ashbury
Bullet for Dali

Plus resident DJs spinning the best in Brit / Indie / Soul / Twee / Madchester / Punk / Glam

FMI: ClubUnderground.net

9pm / $5 if 21+, $7 under 21 / 18+

Wednesday 04.23.08: DUB CLUB @ echoplex

plus Resident DJs:
Tom Chasteen
Roy Corderoy
The Dungeonmaster
Boss Harmony

Spinning the best in classic reggae, dub and dancehall

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
(Main Entrance is through Alley)
Los Angeles, CA 90026

FMI:
Dub Club on MySpace

9pm / $5 / 21+

Wednesday 04.16.08: DUB CLUB with HALF PINT @ echoplex

with:
Half Pint || Listen

A classic singer known for his huge hit Greetings, Half Pint continues reeling out the hits. As a veteran singer Half Pint sticks to what he knows best, the tried and true formula of classic reggae. On the 16-track album, Half Pint explores various subject matters from liking his best friend’s girl to being on the ‘no stress express.’ Half Pint’s lyrics are all clean and not overly sexual or violent like most songs of today.

The album has a relaxing, mellow feel throughout that washes over the listener. Inviting listeners to come onboard to a musical journey, the album begins with Unity as Half Pint and Jack Maness chants that “we’re all in it together”. My Best Friend’s Girl has an old-time rocksteady/ska feel that makes one want to get up and do a lively jive. – The Jamaica Star

plus Resident DJs:
Tom Chasteen
Roy Corderoy
The Dungeonmaster
Boss Harmony

Spinning the best in classic reggae, dub and dancehall

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
(Main Entrance is through Alley)
Los Angeles, CA 90026

FMI:
Dub Club on MySpace

9pm / $15 / 21+

Wednesday 04.09.08: DUB CLUB @ Echoplex

with Resident DJs:
Tom Chasteen
Roy Corderoy
The Dungeonmaster
Boss Harmony

Spinning the best in classic reggae, dub and dancehall

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
(Main Entrance is through Alley)
Los Angeles, CA 90026

FMI:
Dub Club on MySpace

9pm / $5 / 21+

Monday 04.28.08: Monday Night Residency – RADARS TO THE SKY / THE FLYING TOURBILLION ORCHESTRA / THE WESTERN STATES MOTEL / I MAKE THIS SOUND @ echo

Radars To The Sky

As scores of aspiring bands around Los Angeles find, life can get in the way of music. Take a year in the life of Radars to the Sky frontman Andrew Spitser: “You graduate from law school, you take the bar exam, you get a job, you’re having a baby, and you think, ‘When the hell am I going to get this done?’ ” he says of his quintet’s “Big Bang” EP, its second release of 2007.

The singer-guitarist and his bandmates — guitarist Seamus Simpson, bassist Martin Avelar, drummer Kenny Kupers and singer-keyboardist Kate Post Spitser, his wife — got it done, all right, five intense volleys of indie rock with arcs back to a time when indie rock was less self-conscious. It’s no surprise that Spitser’s heroes are Built to Spill; the gnarly interplay between guitarists and the time signatures might bring Pavement or Sebadoh to mind. Even allowing for its self-production, “Big Bang” can be big and bold (and tender, when Kate Spitser’s vocals enter the mix), rock whose working-class trappings disguise an essayist’s soul. – LA Times

With:
The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra
The Western States Motel || Listen
I Make This Sound || Listen

Presented by KROQ & Metromix

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 04.21.08: Monday Night Residency – RADARS TO THE SKY / YOU ME AND IOWA / RADEMACHER @ echo

Radars To The Sky

As scores of aspiring bands around Los Angeles find, life can get in the way of music. Take a year in the life of Radars to the Sky frontman Andrew Spitser: “You graduate from law school, you take the bar exam, you get a job, you’re having a baby, and you think, ‘When the hell am I going to get this done?’ ” he says of his quintet’s “Big Bang” EP, its second release of 2007.

The singer-guitarist and his bandmates — guitarist Seamus Simpson, bassist Martin Avelar, drummer Kenny Kupers and singer-keyboardist Kate Post Spitser, his wife — got it done, all right, five intense volleys of indie rock with arcs back to a time when indie rock was less self-conscious. It’s no surprise that Spitser’s heroes are Built to Spill; the gnarly interplay between guitarists and the time signatures might bring Pavement or Sebadoh to mind. Even allowing for its self-production, “Big Bang” can be big and bold (and tender, when Kate Spitser’s vocals enter the mix), rock whose working-class trappings disguise an essayist’s soul. – LA Times

with:
You Me & Iowa || Listen
Rademacher || Listen
plus special guests

Presented by KROQ & Metromix

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 04.14.08: Monday Night Residency – RADARS TO THE SKY / THE TRANSMISSIONS / THE HENRY CLAY PEOPLE / DEATH TO ANDERS @ echo

Radars To The Sky

As scores of aspiring bands around Los Angeles find, life can get in the way of music. Take a year in the life of Radars to the Sky frontman Andrew Spitser: “You graduate from law school, you take the bar exam, you get a job, you’re having a baby, and you think, ‘When the hell am I going to get this done?’ ” he says of his quintet’s “Big Bang” EP, its second release of 2007.

The singer-guitarist and his bandmates — guitarist Seamus Simpson, bassist Martin Avelar, drummer Kenny Kupers and singer-keyboardist Kate Post Spitser, his wife — got it done, all right, five intense volleys of indie rock with arcs back to a time when indie rock was less self-conscious. It’s no surprise that Spitser’s heroes are Built to Spill; the gnarly interplay between guitarists and the time signatures might bring Pavement or Sebadoh to mind. Even allowing for its self-production, “Big Bang” can be big and bold (and tender, when Kate Spitser’s vocals enter the mix), rock whose working-class trappings disguise an essayist’s soul. – LA Times

with:
The Transmissions || Listen
The Henry Clay People || Listen
Death To Anders || Listen

Presented by KROQ & Metromix

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 04.07.08: Monday Night Residency – RADARS TO THE SKY / THE PARSON RED HEADS / AUSHUA / THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND @ echo

Radars To The Sky

As scores of aspiring bands around Los Angeles find, life can get in the way of music. Take a year in the life of Radars to the Sky frontman Andrew Spitser: “You graduate from law school, you take the bar exam, you get a job, you’re having a baby, and you think, ‘When the hell am I going to get this done?’ ” he says of his quintet’s “Big Bang” EP, its second release of 2007.

The singer-guitarist and his bandmates — guitarist Seamus Simpson, bassist Martin Avelar, drummer Kenny Kupers and singer-keyboardist Kate Post Spitser, his wife — got it done, all right, five intense volleys of indie rock with arcs back to a time when indie rock was less self-conscious. It’s no surprise that Spitser’s heroes are Built to Spill; the gnarly interplay between guitarists and the time signatures might bring Pavement or Sebadoh to mind. Even allowing for its self-production, “Big Bang” can be big and bold (and tender, when Kate Spitser’s vocals enter the mix), rock whose working-class trappings disguise an essayist’s soul. – LA Times

with:
The Parson Red Heads || Listen
Aushua || Listen
The Weather Underground || Listen

Presented by KROQ & Metromix

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Saturday 04.05.08: Benefit for Garden School with GWENDOLYN & THE GOOD TIME GANG / A Magic show with RYAN MAJESTIC @ Echoplex

Gwendolyn & The Good Time Gang

It is very much to Gwendolyn’s credit that her second album for kids, Get Up and Dance!, released late last month, is entirely irony-free. Somehow, though, the songs are eager without turning off the parents. For example, kids will enjoy her exhortation to “bounce and bounce and bounce” (ad nauseam) “around” on the leadoff title track, while parents will smile wanly at the recognition of the fact that this, yes, is exactly how their child moves. But somewhere in the course of the song, the music opens up, adding handclaps and becoming sonically interesting (without losing the kids). The rest of the album is like that, too — the super funky “Eensy Weensy Spider,” the disco freeze-dance of “Red Means Stop,” and the best song never recorded for Grammar Rock!, “I Can Read.” The listing of vegetables “Out in My Garden” is reminiscent — in a good way — of their debut album’s “My Anatomy.” I also appreciate the fact that the album doesn’t end with a typical kids-album-closer slow song, but instead with the peppy “Sunny Day.” It fits perfectly here. – ZooGlobble.com

And:
Ryan Majestic (Magic Show)

@ Echoplex
Enter at 1154 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

10am / $10 for kids and $12 for adults / All Ages

Friday 04.04.08: AUTCHRE / ROB HALL / MASSONIX @ Echoplex

Autechre || Listen

It would be deathlessly simplistic to say that Autechre make dance music, like saying that Vivendi sells compact discs. While it’s true that the English duo’s sound is coincidentally rhythmic, it’d be more appropriate to hail them as the true Sound of the City. Just as 1995’s Tri Repetae perfectly and pristinely captured the paranoid spirit of rapidly gentrifying urban areas—the soundtrack of homeless people pushed east, sodium streetlights casting an aura over rain-slick streets, and a deserted series of districts devoted part-time to factory-made toys, candy, and machine parts—their ninth and latest album, Quaristice, finely etches a glass metropolis with acid both nitric and hallucinogenic. – The Village Voice

with:
Rob Hall
Massonix

@ Echoplex
Enter at
1154 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

9pm / $18 adv, $22 dos / 18+

Wednesday 04.02.08: DUB CLUB presents DON CARLOS @ Echoplex

Don Carlos

Don Carlos (born Euvin Spencer) Legendary Reggae Artist – Born and raised in one of the most deprived regions of Western Kingston, Jamaica, in a district notoriously known as Waterhouse, which incidentally is also a musical spawning ground for many of Reggae’s greatest ever talents, such as King Tubby, original member of Black Uhuru, The Jays, Junior Reid and King Jammy to name but a few, Don Carlos started his singing career back in 1973, as one of the original members of the aforementioned roots vocal group Black Uhuru. Alongside other founding members, Garth Dennis who later went on to joining the Wailing Souls and Derrick Ducky Simpson Uhuru’s central figure, as part of the trio, Don played a prominent role in the recordings of the highly acclaimed Love Crisis album, for producer Prince Jammy in 1977. The said album was later re-released and re-titled as Black Sounds of Freedom. A year after the trio’s ground breaking debut, Don Carlos surprisingly decided to part company in pursuit of a solo career. Having needed at least three years to get the grips of being a soloist, plus developing a knack for song writing and grooming that distinctive, vocal styling it wasn’t until May 1981 that Carlos really took the fraternity by storm, courtesy of a heavy, roots and culture flavored show case album titled Suffering for Negus Roots.

with Resident DJs:
Tom Chasteen
Roy Corderoy
The Dungeonmaster
Boss Harmony

Spinning the best in classic reggae, dub and dancehall

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
(Main Entrance is through Alley)
Los Angeles, CA 90026

FMI:
Dub Club on MySpace

9pm / $15 / 21+

Saturday 03.29.08: BROTHER READE / THE GLITCH MOB / NOSAJ THING @ echo

Brother Reade || Listen

Don’t judge a book by its cover — despite the hue of the dude, the bare essence of Brother Reade is two turntables and a mic, an MC and his DJ. Scholastically speaking, L.A.-based dynamic duo Brother Reade bubble from the same mold as hip-hop legends Eric B. & Rakim and Gangstarr.

As solid as an apple core, Rap Music is a filler-free, 15-song opus. DJ/producer Bobby Evans displays fundamentally sound skills with the drum machine and veteran-like savvy with the selection and application of samples.

“About That Rock” could easily electrify the dance floor in any club with its booming kicks, driving drum lines and frenetic pace. On the flip side, “Work Ain’t For Players” will keep heads nodding hypnotically whether it’s in the car or on the bus en route to L.A.’s baby-armed subway system. – Performer Mag

with:
The Glitch Mob || Listen
Nosaj Thing || Listen

9pm / $10 / 18+

Friday 03.28.08: Metromix presents – THE GRAY KID / CASXIO / NU-TRA @ Echoplex

The Gray Kid || Listen

…the Gray Kid, performing for just the second time (New Year’s Eve was the maiden voyage) with a backing band he’s calling Spirit Animal. Many who have seen the Gray Kid perform around L.A. the past year and a half (counting me) have eagerly anticipated the rapper/crooner graduating from his one-man, mic-and-backing tracks routine. He’s got people with chops behind him — three-fifths of the band Oliver Future (Jordan Richardson, Josh Lit and Jesse Ingalls) as well as beatmaker Computer Jay. – LA Times Buzz Bands

with:
Casxio || Listen
Nu-tra || Listen

8pm / $10adv, $12dos / 18+

Wednesday 03.26.08: HELL YA! Night w/ CLEAN GUNS / THE KNUX / WALLPAPER @ Echo

with:
Clean Guns
The Knux
Wallpaper

Plus The HELL YA! DJS

8pm / $5 / 18+

Thursday 03.27.08: THE MINOR CANON, SHILOE, PATTERN IS MOVEMENT @ echo

The Minor Canon

Your first impression of The Minor Canon’s new self-released album No Good Deed Goes Unpunished will likely be that it’s the perfect music to listen to on a lazy, slow-to-rise Sunday morning — but give it a few days and you’ll realize that its melancholy pop sound has successfully invaded the rest of your week, as well… It’s solid stuff, songs made by a guy who comes across like his heart is literally on the line, and there’s not a single bad or mediocre track to be found on the whole cd. – Radio Free Silverlake

with:
Shiloe || Listen
Pattern is Movement || Listen

8:30pm / $5 / 18+

Tuesday 03.25.08: KamranV’s 29th Birthday/Prince Party w/ HAR MAR SUPERSTAR / LEMON SUN / BUDDY / THE NERVOUS RETURN @ echo

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Lovesexy, the 25th anniversary of 1999, the 30th anniversary of For You and the 29th anniversary of KamranV’s birth…

KamranV leads U through a night of Prince hits/b-sides performed by an all star line-up including…

HAR MAR SUPERSTAR || Listen
LEMON SUN || Listen
BUDDY || Listen
THE NERVOUS RETURN || Listen

Hosted by DJ Flula

Donations will be accepted, and appreciated, at the door or you can donate in advance at: http://www.cykik.com/prince

All proceeds 2 benefit Aids Project Los Angeles and Global Inheritance.

ALL PRINCE, ALL NIGHT spun by Supercrass and the Club Undergroud DJs between and after the performances

The night will be documented by Spaceland Recordings 2 benefit the charities so please DRESS 2 IMPRESS: 80s galm, Purple Rain, and Prince inspired clothing and make up encouraged! On site make up glam-slam transformations by Nancie L. Rooney for facethemakeup.com

FREE Appetizers by Real Rock ‘n’ Roll Catering
Backline provided by Gibson Guitar
Flier modified with permission from original artwork by Maya Wild
Thank you 2 The Valanejads, Megan Healy, Tera Uhlinger, Mitchell Frank, Liz Garo, Jennifer Tefft, the Echo and everyone involved.

More info and 80s Glam “looks” at http://www.cykik.com/prince

8pm / Donations Accepted / all ages

Saturday 03.22.08: JIMMY JAMES GOING AWAY PARTY with WISKEY BISCUIT / THE VIRGINIA CITY REVIVAL / BARRIO TIGER (Thee Gentlemen Callers) @ echo

Wiskey Biscuit

L.A.-based Wiskey Biscuit (they don’t spell their brand of whiskey with an “h”) have already gone through many phases during their decade of existence as a band. After touring with Beck and Elliott Smith, contributing tracks to two Del-Fi Records tribute albums (Delphonic Sounds Today! and Shots in the Dark) and the {#Sparkler} soundtrack, and pressing up an impossible-to-find 7″ on their own imprint, Wiskey Biscuit finally issued their debut album in October 2001, Santa Ana River Delta Blues, on Shipwrecords. – All Music Guide

with:
The Virginia City Revival
Barrio Tiger (Thee Gentlemen Callers)

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Saturday 04.05.08: BOOTIE LA @ Echoplex

LA’s monthly mashup bootleg party moves to the Echoplex!

Resident mashup DJs:
ADRIAN & the MYSTERIOUS D
DJ PAUL V.

From club Blender, special guest DJ:
RAW-BURT

Midnight mashup show, from Salt Lake City:
PRINCESS KENNEDY

This month, Bootie moves downstairs to the Echoplex — so now there will be more room to dance! Resident DJs Paul V., Adrian, and the Mysterious D keep your brain guessing and body dancing with creative song combinations, celebrating – and satirizing – the many different forms of music. This month, guest DJ Raw-Burt from club Blender joins them.

Launched in San Francisco in 2003, Bootie was the first club night in the United States dedicated solely to the burgeoning artform of the bootleg mashup. Mixing and matching every conceivable musical genre, era, and style into one big dance party where everyone feels welcome, it’s a place where all sounds, cultures, and sexualities can unite on the dance floor. Bootie provides the soundtrack for the A.D.D. generation – with free mashup CDs given away like candy! Bootie… because one song at a time just isn’t enough.

FREE Bootie CDs to the first 50 people through the door!

FMI: www.BootieLA.com

9pm / $5 before 10:30pm, $10 after / 21+

Thursday 03.20.08: KCRW Presents – KRAAK & SMAAK @ Echoplex

Kraak & Smaak || Listen

For many people Kraak and Smaak is an addiction that’s hard to shake and when you’re talking about the funk phenomenon from the Netherlands that has been winning over audiences across the continent with their energy charged live shows the same is definitely true. Kraak and Smaak is the ever so slightly illegal sounding band of Dutchmen Mark Kneppers, Oscar De Jong and Wim Plug. For many people Kraak and Smaak is an addiction that’s hard to shake and when you’re talking about the funk phenomenon from the Netherlands that has been winning over audiences across the continent with their energy charged live shows the same is definitely true. Kraak and Smaak is the ever so slightly illegal sounding band of Dutchmen Mark Kneppers, Oscar De Jong and Wim Plug. Mark and Wim already knew each other from DJ’ing together and were introduced to Oscar by a mutual friend who told them about the keyboard prodigy that was studying at the conservatoire. The trio started working together and sent one of their earliest efforts into the outside world to see if anyone was interested. That track Money in the Bag was picked up by Jalapeno Records who offered the band an album deal. It also landed the KandS crew with a mix on Radio 1 courtesy of early supporter Annie Nightingale.

9pm / $20 / 21+

Saturday 04.05.08: LE LOUP / THE RUBY SUNS / PRINCETON @ echo

Le Loup || Listen

Don’t be jealous of Sam Simkoff’s seven-piece D.C. collective just because they were snapped up by Sub Pop offshoot Hardly Art after only playing a few live dates. Simkoff’s compositions are shockingly ripe for someone so green. And though Le Loup is now practically Broken Social Scene-sized (thanks to Craigslist), all of the wily, weird and wonderful tracks on this debut are basically Simkoff’s solo bedroom recordings. Many tracks on their loquaciously titled debut explore richly textured, almost pastoral, Animal Collective-like experiments, but “We Are Gods! We Are Wolves!” finds Simkoff at his ethereal best. Starting out with spare, staccato synthesizer bleeps and bloops, the song blossoms with each added layer of sound—spooky/sensitive multi-tracked vocals, which split the difference between Devendra Banhart and Spencer Krug, shine when layered on top of the electronic padding, recalling Nancy Wilson’s percolating score for Almost Famous. – Paperthinwalls

with:
The Ruby Suns || Listen
Princeton || Listen

8:30pm / $8adv, $10dos / 18+

Friday 03.21.08: FMLY presents THE PARSON RED HEADS / THE DEVIL MAKES THREE / OR, THE WHALE @ Echoplex

The Parson Red Heads || Listen

The energy on King Giraffe can barely be contained — it’s as if the album can’t wait to blast through stereo speakers. From the bright and shiny beach-party swelters of “Days of My Youth” to the hectic, crashing waves of acceleration and stillness on “Mossback,” The Parson Red Heads tailspin listeners through a joyous mix of early ‘60s psychedelic-inspired rock.

Evan “Parson Parson” Way leads this group of troubadours and writes the band’s upbeat ditties about chilling with family, loving all and enjoying life. In “Forever,” there is a smile in his words as he instructs listeners, “Stand up straight, follow the rules / Don’t do wrong, don’t be a fool / There are things you don’t know.” This optimism comes straight from the music. – Perfromer Mag

with:
The Devil Makes Three || Listen
Or, The Whale
The Botticellis || Listen

8pm / $10 / 18+

Saturday 03.22.08: Check Yo Ponytail vs Heist w/ BLACK GHOSTS / RIOT IN BELGIUM / HEARTSREVOLUTION / FUTURE COP @ Echoplex

with:
Black Ghosts
Riot in Belguim
Heartsrevolution || Listen
Future Cop

plus DJs:
Franki Chan
Paparazzi
Hyphy Crunk
Spy vs. Spy
Score

@ Echoplex
Enter at
1154 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

9pm / $15 / 18+

Thursday 03.27.08: DANIEL LANOIS “Here Is What Is” premiere and performance with BRIAN BLADE & Special Guests @ VISTA THEATRE

Daniel Lanois || Listen

For the past 30 years, friends and fans have been asking critically-acclaimed singer/songwriter/producer Daniel Lanois for a glimpse into his recording studio and his creative process. In this the 90 minute documentary he finally appeases the requests.

“Here Is What Is” is a sonic journey that captures the art of making a record by one of the most distinctive and celebrated producers of our time. Directed by Adam Vollick, Adam Samuels and Lanois, the film debuted at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival and offers viewers a rare chance to see Lanois at work behind a soundboard. The film opens up with a magical piano performance by Garth Hudson from The Band. Lanois then travels to Shreveport, LA where he joins Brian Blade’s father at the Zion Baptist Church for a roaring rendition of “This May Be The Last Time.” The film also includes footage with Brian Eno, Emmylou Harris, Billy Bob Thornton, and U2.

March 27 marks the LA premeire for “Here Is What Is”. The two showings will each include a live performance from Daniel Lanois featuring Brian Blade. Lanois has won Grammy’s for his work with U2, Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel, and also worked with Willie Nelson, Brian Eno, Emmylou Harris, Robbie Robertson, Scott Weiland, and many more. These rare performances are not to be missed.

@ Vista Theatre
4473 Sunset Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90027

6:30pm & 9:30pm / $22adv, $24dos / all ages

Sunday 03.16.08: GRAND OLE ECHO w/ THE COUSIN LOVERS / PARKLANE TWIN / BUFFALO CALIFORNIA

The Cousin Lovers || Listen
Parklane Twin || Listen
Buffalo California

hosted by Chris Morris and DJ Cuz’n Roy

5pm / FREE / 21+

Saturday 03.15.08: HANG THE DJS

with:
The Cocaine Kids
Cory (Pink Enemy)
Jose (DubLab)
Dia (Club NME, Sonic)
Maurice De La Falaise (Paravion, Transistor)
Thieves Like Us (Kitsune)
Wolfkin Featuring Lars (Junior Senior)

spinning the best in: indie, international pop, britpop, electro, disco, post-punk, new wave, no wave, hiphop and more..

FMI:
Hang The DJs on Myspace

10pm / $7 / 18+

Friday 03.28.08: Echo & CLUB UNDERGROUND present – THE SNOW @ echo

The Snow || Listen

With resident DJs spinning the best in Brit / Indie / Soul / Twee / Madchester / Punk / Glam

FMI: ClubUnderground.net

9pm / $5 if 21+, $7 under 21 / 18+

Friday 03.14.08: CLUB UNDERGROUND

With resident DJs spinning the best in Brit / Indie / Soul / Twee / Madchester / Punk / Glam

FMI: ClubUnderground.net

9pm / $5 if 21+, $7 under 21 / 18+

Friday 03.21.08: CLUB UNDERGROUND with THE LOST AND FOUND / THE WALLBURDS @ echo

with:
The Lost and Found
The Wallburds

plus resident DJs spinning the best in Brit / Indie / Soul / Twee / Madchester / Punk / Glam

FMI: ClubUnderground.net

9pm / $5 if 21+, $7 under 21 / 18+

Sunday 03.09.08: Grand Ole Echo Kickoff w/ THE BLASTERS / TONY GILKYNSON

The Blasters || Listen

The Blasters stink of rockabilly. They project the essence of small streets of post-war neighborhoods, car and surf culture of Southern California. They are led by Phil Alvin’s soulful bellowing about causing chaos,chasing women and the loss of the citrus groves. Influenced by the likes of the George Jones, Johnny Paycheck, Howlin Wolf, Big Joe Turner, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and many others who came and went during the 1950’s, The Blasters play the songs of the working man’s curse and rock and roll romance. Founding memebers Phil Alvin and John Bazz, with the addition of Jerry Angel who has recorded and toured with Brian Setzer, Carole King, Dwight Yoakam and a who’s who of recording stars bangs out the beats, and Keith Wyatt on guitar are carrying on their hard-won legacy of one of the most credible and recognizable bands in American music.

plus:
Tony Gilkyson || Listen

hosted by Chris Morris and DJ Cuz’n Roy

5pm / FREE / All Ages

Friday 03.07.08: Descarga & Echo present CLUB ZIZEK @ Echoplex (10pm)

Zizek is about emerging Hip Hop, Dancehall, Cumbia, and Reggaetón sounds and their respective variations: Grime, Crunk, Bastard Pop and Mashups. The idea is to give these styles, ideas and rhythms an Argentine touch, with the aim of putting Buenos Aires on the map of the global music scene.
The star of Zizek has been Cumbia, a Latin American sound born from the fusion of old and new worlds in Colombia that has been long looked down on as dance music for the lower classes in Argentina. Its distinctly syncretic roots promote robust adaptability and cumbia is being transformed by avant-garde musicians and producers from the USA all the way down to Argentina. Diplo has become an avid supporter of the collective and the party has made fans of The Wire, DJ Rupture and The New York Times. XLR8R christened Zizek “the city’s unofficial cumbia clubhouse.”
Zizek plays host to live shows performed by local MCs, producers, composers and DJs and is bringing it’s collective to North America and SXSW this March. The Zizek tour allows us to witness the evolution of the hottest party in Argentina to full-fledged, multi-faceted movement.

10pm / $12 / 18+

Monday 03.03.08: RICKIE LEE JONES with PETRA HADEN, LILI HAYDEN, ROB WASSERMAN & MORE @ ECHOPLEX

Rickie Lee Jones || Listen

What a long, strange trip Rickie Lee Jones has been on since running away to Hollywood in 1973, palling around with Tom Waits and Chuck E. Weiss, and releasing her self-titled album in 1979. She’s transformed herself from a fairly straightforward Joni Mitchell-style folk-pop singer into a multilayered, jazzy chanteuse, and her 2006 CD, The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard (New West), is her most ambitious (and, arguably, satisfying) work to date. The album is based on her producer Lee Cantelon’s book The Word, which tries to take a fresh look at the story of Jesus Christ. Sermon isn’t a dogmatic attempt to convert unbelievers so much as it’s an engrossing journey through various personas and disguises, such as the symbolic visitation “Elvis Cadillac.” Jones is utterly mesmerizing on the enigmatic “Tried to Be a Man,” where her breathy vocals are draped over murky, bluesy chords, and “Nobody Knows My Name,” which chugs along with a shimmering Velvet Underground intensity. – LA Weekly

with:
Petra Hayden || Listen
Lili Hayden || Listen
Rob Wasserman || Listen
& More

8pm / $25 seated and $20 standing room only, $27 and $22 dos / all ages

Friday 03.07.08: First Fridays w/ WHY? & YACHT @ Natural History Museum

First Fridays – Dinner, Discussion, Music & More

with:
WHY? || Listen
Yacht || Listen

plus Dub Lab DJs:
Ale
MatthewDavid

@ Natural History Museum
900 Exposition Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90007

FMI: http://www.nhm.org/firstfridays/

5:30pm – Tour
6:30pm – Discussion
8:00pm – Music

5pm / Adult $9, students (w. ID) $6.50, Members FREE / All Ages

Tuesday 03.11.08: Indie 103.1, Echo & Club Underground present THE TING TINGS @ Rec Center Studio

The Ting Tings || Listen || Watch

Principal amongst these purveyors of cheap thrills are Salford’s Ting Tings, comprising singer Katie White and drummer Jules De Martino. If last year’s limited release ‘Fruit Machine’ saw them set out their stall as a sardonic LCD Soundsystem, ‘Great DJ’ stakes an almighty claim to be the year’s first lo-fi dancefloor smash.

The elements are all there. Scratchy, Peaches-esque guitar riff? Check. Chorus you’d still be humming after a week in Glasgow with Gallows? Check. Mischievous sense of pop as sonic thrift shop? Check! At its beating heart, peroxide philosopher Katie: “Folks got high at quarter to five/Don’t you feel you’re growing up undone?” she intones cryptically, before gabbling something about “The local DJ” having “some songs to play”.

At which point Jules triggers the sound of a thousand boxes being hit by a jackhammer and we’re at a chorus that’ll unleash dancefloor serotonin worldwide: “Imagine all the girls/Ah-ah-ah-ah/And the boys/Ah-ah-ah-ah/And the drums/The drums!” Think of a mash up of CSS, The Waitresses and Le Tigre re-interpreting Indeep’s ‘Last Night A DJ Saved My Life’ and you’re almost there. – NME

with:
DJ Paul V. (Bootie, Neon Noise/Indie 103.1)

@ Rec Center Studio
1161 Logan
Los Angeles, CA 90026

8:30pm / $10 / 18+

Wednesday 03.12.08: DEATH TO ANDERS / THE KARABEL NIGHTLIFE / THAILAND / MICHAEL COMPTON

Death To Anders || Listen

The four members of Death to Anders’ intelligent utilization of a satirically invigorating story-led lyrical delivery provides for an entertaining scope into the modernistic age we are all familiar with. One can easily hear shades of Isaac Brock and Stephen Malkmus in vocalist Rob Danson’s delivery, with his range impressively stretching from moments of squealing intensity to subdued murmurs of sincere ardency. This is done over an equally impressive instrumental approach, with a wide array of guitars, keys, strings, and an exceptionally tight rhythm section. – Obscure Sound

with:
The Karabal Nightlife || Listen
Thailand
Michael Compton

8:30pm / FREE for 21+, $5 for under 21 / 18+

Tuesday 03.18.08: THE FELICE BROTHERS / JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE / MCCARTHY TRENCHING @ echo

The Felice Brothers

A band of (mostly) actual brothers from the Catskills, there’s a raw and unfinished sound to their storytelling brand of folk-americana. I find that as you sit with them, the colors of their music start to come out in a warm rich burn, like a campfire at 2am. Very few artists write stories like this anymore, except for folks like Ray LaMontagne or the Hold Steady, in very different sounding ways.

Their vivid music is populated by characters with names like Long-Legged Brenda and take the listener along on all kinds of wild narratives that echo Dylan in their complexity and seeming unsingability. – I Am Fuel, You Are Friends

with:
Justin Townes Earle
McCarthy Trenching || Listen

8:30pm / $10 / 18+

Monday 03.10.08: CUT COPY / WALTER MEEGO

Cut Copy || Listen || Watch

Cut Copy is finally releasing a follow-up to 2004’s Bright Like Neon Love. The forthcoming In Ghost Colours finds the Melbourne, Australia-based trio as heavily influenced by the sounds of the ’80s as ever, as well as working under the watchful eye of Tim Goldsworthy, who produced the album. Its lead single, “Lights & Music,” is so heavy on the pounding synths and epic breakdowns it’s almost possible see the neon lights flashing around a dancefloor upon hearing the track. – XLR8R

with:
Walter Meego || Listen || Watch
DJ Paul V.

8:30pm / $10 / 18+

Sunday 03.09.08: RECORD SWAP MEET

12pm-5pm / $5 / All Ages

Thursday 03.20.08: Aquarium Drunkard presents – BON IVER / PHOSPHORESCENT / WHITE HINTERLAND @ echo

Bon Iver || Listen || Watch

Vernon’s multi-tracked falsetto is the element that jumps out right away since it’s all over For Emma’s nine songs, but don’t make the mistake of throwing him in the freak-folk clubhouse with Devendra Banhart and the like. At their core, songs like “The Wolves (Act I and II)” and “Re: Stacks” are as straightforward and pretty as Sam Beam’s Iron and Wine creations, if they were sung by TV on the Radio’s soulful Tunde Adubimpe. Instrumentally, Vernon’s guitar is his main partner in chime, with horns and clattery percussion making guest spots. Listening to these songs, it’s easy to picture Vernon crouching on the cabin’s roaring hearth, strumming and trying to ward off the chills from an environment where below zero is a way of life. – Spin.com

with:
Phosphorescent || Watch
Winter Hinterland || Listen

8:30pm / $10 / 18+

Wednesday 03.19.08: BORN RUFFIANS / CADENCE WEAPON / RUMSPRINGA @ echo

Born Ruffians || Listen || Watch || MP3

Warp-signed Canadian yelpers Born Ruffians sound positively ecstatic on this track from their debut album, Red, Yellow and Blue. On an eponymous EP last year, Luke LaLonde sang from deep inside Black Francis’ titanic shadow, his warbling eruptions tied to a familiar desperate strumming. Recast in a sunny context and distributed judiciously amid more conventionally tuneful singing, his outbursts seem more like the product of actual excitement and less like art-rock posing. That feeling is complicated by lyrics that are actually a tangled mess of self-doubt. All the gang shouts and playful piano rolls are like sonic prozac, evening out the distress. – Prefix Magazine

with:

Cadence Weapon || Listen || Watch
Rumspringa

8:30pm / $10 / 18+

Friday 03.07.08: CLUB UNDERGROUND with DIE! DIE! DIE! / MY BEST FIEND / RAINBOW ARABIA

with:
Die! Die! Die! || Listen
My Best Fiend || Listen
Rainbow Arabia

Plus resident DJs spinning the best in Brit / Indie / Soul / Twee / Madchester / Punk / Glam

FMI: ClubUnderground.net

9pm / $8 til 11pm, then $5 if 21+, $7 under 21 / 18+

Thursday 03.13.08: ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE / DANAVA

Acid Mothers Temple || LISTEN || WATCH

It feels like mere months– if not weeks– since we’ve last heard from Makoto Kawabata and his psych-rock juggernaut Acid Mothers Temple, and yet Have You Ever Seen the Other Side of the Sky? also qualifies as something of a comeback. The album marks the return of the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. ensemble from a yearlong hiatus, an interval that probably seems more like a decade on Kawabata’s busy calendar. During that time Kawabata kept himself occupied by touring and recording with his newly launched heavy-rock combo the Cosmic Inferno and collaborating with the kindred spirits of Afrirampo, while also providing himself steady work as a solo artist and who-knows-what-other communal activities.

From an outsider’s perspective the distinction between Kawabata’s various groups can seem pretty much academic, since they have each undergone continuous personnel shifts and they all direct their flightpaths towards the same general regions of interstellar lunacy. Nevertheless, there seems to be a special level of expansive, full-throttle improvisation that Kawabata is only able to fully achieve with the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. at his back, and Have You Seen the Other Side of the Sky? rockets him right back into this fertile zone. – Pitchfork

with:
Danava

9pm / $14 dos / 18+

Tuesday 03.04.08: THESE ARE POWERS / ALL NEON LIKE / BOB BRUNO

These are Powers || Listen

Screaming like a banshee out of Brooklyn and Chicago, These Are Powers play noisy, crunching, metal-on-metal post-punk that the band members call “ghost-punk”. A couple of lumbering bass notes, some shrill, skronky guitar squeaks, and the alternately pummeling and clattering drums whir in lockstep through what sounds like a haunted, abandoned factory building (or shop class). These Are Powers are a three-piece, with two lead vocalists– guitarist Anna Barie and “prepared bass” guitarist (that explains the “metal-on-metal”, then!) Pat Noecker– backed by drummer Bill Salas. – Pitchfork

with:
All Neon Like
Bob Bruno

8:30pm / $8 / 18+

Monday 03.31.08: Monday Night Residency with THE CHAPIN SISTERS / I SEE HAWKS IN LA / MORIS TEPPER @ echo

The Chapin Sisters || Listen

The Chapin Sisters stand onstage at Tangier in Los Feliz, each in a shimmering gold dress that calls to mind Ginger from Gilligan’s Island. Jessica, the oldest, is in a mini dress; Abigail’s empire-waisted gown goes down to her ankles; and Lily, the youngest, wears a long, gold knife-pleated skirt and sleeveless top in gold-and-black brocade. They kick off their set with a three-part harmony version of Culture Club’s “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” In their confident, skilled voices, the song’s question sounds almost like a challenge. When they sing the song “I Don’t Love You,” it’s neither eat your heart out, or crying over you — it puts the power, and the intended’s heart, firmly in the hands of the woman. “Girlfriend” has all the venom of Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know,” but the Chapin Sisters coat their message in the butter cream of their melodies. – LA Weekly

with:
I See Hawks in LA || Listen
Moris Tepper || Listen

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 03.24.08: Monday Night Residency with THE CHAPIN SISTERS / GLASSER with BODY CITY / EARLY DOLPHINS / CLUE TO KAHLO @ echo

The Chapin Sisters || Listen

The Chapin Sisters stand onstage at Tangier in Los Feliz, each in a shimmering gold dress that calls to mind Ginger from Gilligan’s Island. Jessica, the oldest, is in a mini dress; Abigail’s empire-waisted gown goes down to her ankles; and Lily, the youngest, wears a long, gold knife-pleated skirt and sleeveless top in gold-and-black brocade. They kick off their set with a three-part harmony version of Culture Club’s “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” In their confident, skilled voices, the song’s question sounds almost like a challenge. When they sing the song “I Don’t Love You,” it’s neither eat your heart out, or crying over you — it puts the power, and the intended’s heart, firmly in the hands of the woman. “Girlfriend” has all the venom of Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know,” but the Chapin Sisters coat their message in the butter cream of their melodies. – LA Weekly

with:
Glasser with Body City
Early Dolphins || Listen
Clue To Kahlo

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 03.17.08: Monday Night Residency with THE CHAPIN SISTERS / SUMMER DARLING / BILLIONAIRES / LOVE GRENADES

The Chapin Sisters || Listen

The Chapin Sisters stand onstage at Tangier in Los Feliz, each in a shimmering gold dress that calls to mind Ginger from Gilligan’s Island. Jessica, the oldest, is in a mini dress; Abigail’s empire-waisted gown goes down to her ankles; and Lily, the youngest, wears a long, gold knife-pleated skirt and sleeveless top in gold-and-black brocade. They kick off their set with a three-part harmony version of Culture Club’s “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” In their confident, skilled voices, the song’s question sounds almost like a challenge. When they sing the song “I Don’t Love You,” it’s neither eat your heart out, or crying over you — it puts the power, and the intended’s heart, firmly in the hands of the woman. “Girlfriend” has all the venom of Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know,” but the Chapin Sisters coat their message in the butter cream of their melodies. – LA Weekly

with:
Summer Darling || Listen
Billionaires
Love Grenades

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 03.03.08: Monday Night Residency with THE CHAPIN SISTERS / GEMMA HAYES / BLANKET

The Chapin Sisters || Listen

The Chapin Sisters stand onstage at Tangier in Los Feliz, each in a shimmering gold dress that calls to mind Ginger from Gilligan’s Island. Jessica, the oldest, is in a mini dress; Abigail’s empire-waisted gown goes down to her ankles; and Lily, the youngest, wears a long, gold knife-pleated skirt and sleeveless top in gold-and-black brocade. They kick off their set with a three-part harmony version of Culture Club’s “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” In their confident, skilled voices, the song’s question sounds almost like a challenge. When they sing the song “I Don’t Love You,” it’s neither eat your heart out, or crying over you — it puts the power, and the intended’s heart, firmly in the hands of the woman. “Girlfriend” has all the venom of Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know,” but the Chapin Sisters coat their message in the butter cream of their melodies. – LA Weekly

with:
Gemma Hayes || Listen
Blanket

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Thursday 03.06.08: TWILIGHT SLEEP / KARIN TATOYAN / RESTAURANT / DJ SOLID TODD

Twilight Sleep || Listen

Twilight Sleep blew me away this time with a batch of tunes from their upcoming EP “Race To The Bottom of The Sea”. Tracy Marcellino (Vocals/Keyboards) seduced the audience with her sultry voice as the keyboards laid you down into a literal twilight sleep. “Broken Record” was one of the new songs that was absolutely hypnotic with percolating synths and dreamy delayed guitars.
“Don’t Fire Your Guns” was a faster paced song with slightly overdriven guitars countered by cloud like synth lines. Twilight Sleep will be having an EP release party at the Echo on March 6th. I recommend that you swing by and pick it up. – Amateur Chemist

with:
Restaurant
Karin Tatoyan || Listen

and DJ Todd Clifford (of Sea Level Fame)

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Tuesday 03.11.08: Metromix presents ATLAS SOUND / VALET / WHITE RAINBOW

Atlas Sound || Listen

Cox plays and sings in Atlanta five-piece Deerhunter, but it’s tempting to say he actually lives as Atlas Sound. He’s used the name for his solo recordings ever since the sixth grade, and lately his output has been almost nonstop: He’s posted roughly 70 new tracks, mostly originals, on his blog since last July. Deerhunter’s Cryptograms and Fluorescent Grey EP expertly brought together elements of krautrock, psych, shoegaze, ambient, post-punk, and indie rock, but Atlas Sound’s full-length debut turns inward from that band’s high-volume squall. Cox also trades the four-track of previous Atlas Sound vinyl splits for a laptop. The result is a gauzy bedroom pop album that drifts from ambient bliss-outs to sadsack avant-garage, from hospitals to heartache, as if passing through different stages of sleep on a sunny afternoon. No previous interest in Deerhunter required. – Pitchfork

with:
Valet || Listen
White Rainbow || Listen

8:30pm / $10 / 18+

Saturday 03.08.08: Echo & IHEARTCOMIX present The New Check Yo Ponytail with GIL MANTERA’S PARTY DREAM / MAHJONNG / LUCY & THE POPSONICS

Gil Mantera’s Party Dream || Listen

The debut release by Gil Mantera’s Party Dream, Bloodsongs, is one of those rare recordings that manage to be both retro and modern at the same time. The electronic drumbeats sound like something out of a modern-day dance club, while if you spliced the synths and vocals away from the rest of the sonic stew, you could be fooled into thinking that it was straight out of new wave’s early-’80s glory days. Hailing from Youngstown, OH, Gil Mantera’s Party Dream is a duo of multi-instrumental brothers, Gil Mantera (programming, keyboards, bass) and Ultimate Donny (vocals, guitar), who split the songwriting duties straight down the middle. – Allmusic

with:
Mahjonng
Lucy and The Popsonics

plus DJs:
Franki Chan
Paparazzi

9pm / $10 / 18+

Thursday 03.13.08: Fader & Aquarium Drunkard present – BEACH HOUSE / PAPERCUTS (Time changed to 8pm)

Beach House || Listen

The delicate, languid, minimalist pop of Baltimore duo Beach House’s Devotion is a glimmering dream. These love songs creep forward in bossa nova rhythms and even meters like they’re chasing after a slowly receding tide. Victoria Legrand sings in a cave-echoed voice that bridges between a sort of one-room-over ethereality and a pungent melody, gliding over the mix (drums, piano, and organ, mostly) like a low-hanging cloud, stretching her words into near incomprehensibility. Her high, breathy peaks on “Turtle” are charmingly imperfect, while “Gila”’s slide guitar dances with her voice like a returned lover, hopelessly devoted. – XLR8R

with:
Papercuts || Listen

8pm / $12 / All Ages

Sunday 03.02.08: Benefit for Edendale Library with BOBBY MATOS

Bobby Matos & his Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble || Listen

“…an excellent fusion of Latin and African genres, with some of the best bilingual swingers from either world demonstrating how effective the glue of jazz can be”
- Harvey Siders, Jazz Times March 2006

with:
Nathan Nice and Friends

plus readings from:
–John Tottenham reading from “The Inertia Variations”
–Denise Hamilton, author of Prisoner of Memory” and the upcoming “Last Embrace”
–Andrea Portes reading from Hick
–Richard Lange reading from Dead Boys Stories

Wine tasting, silent auction, book sale, music and more!

5pm / $20 ELFS members, $30 nonmembers, $10 under 21 years of age / all ages

Thursday 03.27.08: RED SPAROWES / RUSSIAN CIRCLES / HOLLOYS @ Echoplex

Red Sparowes || Listen

Red Sparowes’ slow-burning recipe of quiet-through-loud is anything but original, but the way the ingriedients blend is totally unique and gradually bewildering. It’s obvious that some ideas – the burning walls of guitars and the insistence of clear melody even in chaos – have been taken from the band member’s other projects (including Isis, Neurosis and Halifax Pier), but everyone brings something fresh to the table, and it is this that sets Red Sparowes so high above the rest of the post-rock crowd. This is claustrophobic, driving instrumental music that will appeal as much to fans of Henryk Gorecki, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Ennio Morricone as it will fans of those parenthesis-ed parent bands.

It is almost impossible to carve a niche in a genre as restrictive as post-rock, but with their Heaven-sent melodies and their plunging riffs of brimstone, Red Sparowes have drilled a planet-sized chasm. – Drowned in Sound

with:
Russian Circles || Listen
Holloys

@ Echoplex
Enter at
1152 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027

8:30pm / $12 / 18+

Wednesday 03.26.08: DUB CLUB @ Echoplex

with Resident DJs:
Tom Chasteen
Roy Corderoy
The Dungeonmaster
Boss Harmony

Spinning the best in classic reggae, dub and dancehall

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
(Main Entrance is through Alley)
Los Angeles, CA 90026

FMI:
Dub Club on MySpace

9pm / $5 / 21+

Wednesday 03.19.08: DUB CLUB @ Echoplex

with Resident DJs:
Tom Chasteen
Roy Corderoy
The Dungeonmaster
Boss Harmony

Spinning the best in classic reggae, dub and dancehall

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
(Main Entrance is through Alley)
Los Angeles, CA 90026

FMI:
Dub Club on MySpace

9pm / $5 / 21+

Wednesday 03.12.08: DUB CLUB with MAD PROFESSOR @ Echoplex

with:
Mad Professor || Listen

What separates The Professor’s work from that of other dub artists is his reliance on synthesized sounds; he religiously incorporates bleeps, whirs and other electronic machinations, allowing them to rhythmically collide with the more roots oriented vibes created by live guitar, bass, keyboards and horns. The Mad Professor’s oeuvre is filled with relaxed layers of steamy groove, intermittently injected with echo effects and gratuitous back masked vocal collages. All of which is seamlessly interwoven amongst tight grooves with serpentine agility, helping create a dense form of mellow, low-end ambient music. The overall effect is a soothing, low impact vibe. The Mad Professor continues to create captivating soundtracks consisting of searing mental mood music that’s just perfect for stimulating the inner soul.

plus Resident DJs:
Tom Chasteen
Roy Corderoy
The Dungeonmaster
Boss Harmony

Spinning the best in classic reggae, dub and dancehall

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
(Main Entrance is through Alley)
Los Angeles, CA 90026

FMI:
Dub Club on MySpace

9pm / $12 adv, $15 dos / 21+

Wednesday 03.05.08: DUB CLUB @ Echoplex

with Resident DJs:
Tom Chasteen
Roy Corderoy
The Dungeonmaster
Boss Harmony

Spinning the best in classic reggae, dub and dancehall

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
(Main Entrance is through Alley)
Los Angeles, CA 90026

FMI:
Dub Club on MySpace

9pm / $5 / 21+

Sunday 03.30.08: PART TIME PUNKS w/ SPIRIT ARMY / THE NEW ROOM@ echo

Spirit Army
The New Room || Listen

resident djs Michael Stock and Benny Shambles spinning mutant disco * Postpunk * indiepop

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 21+

Sunday 03.23.08: PART TIME PUNKS w/ THE PRIDS @ echo

The Prids || Listen

resident djs Michael Stock and Benny Shambles spinning mutant disco * Postpunk * indiepop

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 21+

Sunday 03.16.08: PART TIME PUNKS with THE TOUGH ALLIANCE & DIN GLORIOUS

The Tough Alliance
Din Glorious || Listen

THE TOUGH ALLIANCE are from Sweden.
they play a mad mix of PiL & Heaven 17 & jangly ridiculous sunshine.
they just signed to Modular.
um…
sometimes they lip-sync at their gigs.
check out Pitchfork. com for more info; they love’em.
and you shouldn’t miss ‘em, ’cause it’s their ONLY U.S. show
other than their South By Southwest gigs.

GLORIOUS DIN are from NYC.
their racket is best described as minimal synth.
sometimes they play naked.
they are all men.

resident djs Michael Stock and Benny Shambles spinning mutant disco * Postpunk * indiepop

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 21+

Saturday 03.01.08: BOOTIE LA

BOOTIE LA
LA’s monthly mashup bootleg party is back at The Echo!

From San Francisco, live on stage, a special ALL-VIDEO MASHUP SET:
Party Ben

plus resident mashup DJs:
DJ Paul V. – From Indie 103.1’s “The Smash Mix”
Adrian & the Mysterious D – From San Francisco, Bootie creators

Bootie SF’s resident DJ PARTY BEN has been hard at work, retiring his “Party Ben Kenobi” persona and cooking up a brand new feature DJ set, “inspired” by last year’s Daft Punk tour!

While he won’t have a $2 million light-up pyramid, he will be incorporating tons of giant video and projections into his set for the first time, featuring clips put together by VJ Brewski and VJ Jaren, as well as his own mashup video creations. He did this show in San Francisco in January, and it was one of the best productions ever at Bootie.

Launched in San Francisco in 2003, Bootie was the first club night in the United States dedicated solely to the burgeoning artform of the bootleg mashup. Mixing and matching every conceivable musical genre, era, and style into one big dance party where everyone feels welcome, Bootie provides the soundtrack for the A.D.D. generation – with free mashup CDs given away like candy!

This month, Party Ben returns to the Bootie LA stage with a special ALL-VIDEO mashup set! Resident DJs Paul V., Adrian, and the Mysterious D keep your brain guessing and body dancing with creative song combinations, celebrating – and satirizing – the many different forms of music. Bootie… because one song at a time just isn’t enough.

FMI: www.BootieLA.com

9pm / $5 before 10:30pm, $10 after / 21+

Monday 03.10.08: ED HARCOURT / EVEREST / THE CHAPIN SISTERS @ Echoplex

Ed Harcourt || Listen

Ed Harcourt is a bit raffish and gloriously hungover, but also the best company you could imagine over a fried breakfast in Soho on a warm Saturday morning. He’s also hard-working, creative and sickeningly prolific. *The Beautiful Lie*, his fifth album in six years, in between outside projects with bands like Wild Boar and the Dead Thank Yous, is the latest in his line of inventive, adventurous records. And it’s the best thing he’s ever done. His new album is confident, expressive and moving, wide-eyed, big-hearted and hot-blooded, with a musical ambition that dazzles you. It’s an album he’s grown up with, and an album that wants you to grow with it.

with:
Everest || Listen
The Chapin Sisters || Listen

@ Echoplex
Enter at
1154 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

8pm / $12 / All Ages

Wednesday 03.05.08: THE DUKE SPIRIT / AFTERNOONS / THE PRAYERS

The Duke Spirit || Listen

Something separates The Duke Spirit from the crop of great British indie bands doing the rounds at the moment. Maybe it’s the beautiful, Nico-esque singer, Leila Moss, who effortlessly looks like a bornrock temptress when, as far as she’s concerned, is just playing in a band with some of her best mates.Maybe it’s because they unfashionably buck the trend by sounding more like Exile-era Stones or a grimy Velvet Underground than a band from the early 80s. But what really separates them is that they consistently produce achingly hip music while their natural poise gives you the sneaking suspicion that they’re not even trying. – BBC

with:
Afternoons
The Prayers

8pm / $12 / 18+

Sunday 03.09.08: PART TIME PUNKS with NEW BLOODS

New Bloods
Softboiled Eggies || Listen
Magic Johnson

Plus resident djs Michael Stock and Benny Shambles spinning mutant disco * Postpunk * indiepop

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 21+

Friday 03.07.08: LESLIE & THE LYS / DEVON WILLIAMS / DJ LANCE ROCK @ Echoplex

Leslie & The Lys || Listen

It’s hard to know what to make of Leslie Hall as she gyrates in her trademark skin-tight, gold jumpsuit, sporting a bouffant coiffure and a deadpan expression.

The 26-year-old Iowan has created her own niche online as a ferocious rapper, talented producer and dedicated sweater curator. Her Napoleon Dynamite-esque, rhinestone-bedazzled online empire has attracted a loyal cult following.

Whatever your take on Hall’s signature style, there’s no denying she takes her calling seriously. She’s not grinding away at a meaningless day job. Instead, she devotes all her time to her craft, and traces of that dedication are tangible in her albums and videos, from the painstakingly laid tracks, laden with danceable beats, to her cleverly constructed lyrics and choreographed moves. – Wired

with:
Devon Williams
DJ Lance Rock

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

7pm / $12 adv, $14 dos / All Ages

Sunday 03.02.08: PART TIME PUNKS w/ SPECTRUM

with:
Spectrum || Listen
Midnight Movies || Listen
Grimble Grumble

You should NOT have missed this the last time. But here’s that rare second chance life seldom offers. AND, this time it’s UPSTAIRS in the Echo where the space can drift, bounce and swirl and the walls can drip freely. .

Plus resident djs Michael Stock and Benny Shambles spinning mutant disco * Postpunk * indiepop

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

9pm / $12 adv, $14 dos / 18+