Sunday 03.01.09: GARCETTI FUNDRAISER @ echoplex

6pm / $10 / 18+

Friday 03.27.09: THE ASTEROIDS GALAXY TOUR / WE ARE THE WORLD @ echo

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour || Listen

The current fascination with mid-60s soul isn’t just confined to British performers. The Asteroids Galaxy Tour are a Danish duo, with additional musicians for gigs, who give the sounds of Stax and Motown a sort of sunny, summery, almost psychedelic air. The rhythms are basic, direct and insistent, the melodies so instantly infectious you’ll probably think you’ve heard them before, and there is a horn section (including trumpet and sax) to give the songs that all-important soul-revue feel – the group’s name even sounds like a cosmic version of one of those 60s soul package tours. – Guardian

with:
We Are The World

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8:30pm / $13 advance; $15 day of show / 18+

Wednesday 03.25.09: MARNIE STERN / STARFUCKER / WHAT’S UP? @ echo

Marnie Stern || Watch

It wasn’t until she was 23, when she heard Sleater-Kinney for the first time, that Marnie Stern’s life began to the take her in the direction of the noise and punk-inspired experimental rock that would later define her music. She soon began learning finger-tapping techniques on her electric guitar and began assiduously practicing and recording songs until she had enough for a demo. Stern sent the tape to Kill Rock Stars, which immediately signed the young singer/guitarist to their 5RC imprint. The folding of the company, after the departure of founder Slim Moon in 2006, caused a slight delay in the release of her debut, In Advance of the Broken Arm, but the record, whose songs had been written over a period of more than two years in Stern’s Upper East Side New York apartment, and featured drums from Hella’s Zach Hill, finally came out in early 2007. Stern took somewhat less time to record her follow-up, releasing This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It in 2008. – All Music

with:
Starfucker
What’s Up? || Listen

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8pm / $10 advance; $12 day of show / 18+

Tuesday 03.24.09: AN HORSE / WINTERSLEEP / AMATEURS @ echoplex

An Horse || Listen || Watch

Started in the basement of an indie record shop, this clever and efficient Australian duo have experienced rapid success, scoring a U.S. deal via tourmates Tegan and Sara and placing a song (the jagged, confident “Postcards”) in a Mercedes commercial. Kate Cooper’s tales of awkward, broken love and chronic miscommunication don’t seem ripe for selling sedans, but her reedy voice and zippy melodic guitar, plus drummer Damon Cox’s imperfect harmonies, keep things from getting too depressing. Clever/corny lines — “Like that good Hole album / I can live through this” — add levity, too. – Spin

with:
Wintersleep || Listen
Amateurs || Listen

8pm / $10 / 18+

Friday 03.20.09: FOUR TET / JON HOPKINS / DJ FROSTY @ echo

Four Tet || Listen

As Four Tet, Kieran Hebden has been a chameleonic interpreter of genres. Using a cut-up and collage approach, he’s bent folk music, jazz, and hip-hop into impossible shapes; each time we seem to draw a bead on his style, whether it’s folktronica, instrumental hip-hop, or IDM, Hebden neatly steps out of the crosshairs to leave us firing at thin air. In fact, his music is best understood according to practice. From the folky samples of Pause to the laptop bobbins of Rounds to the free-jazzy squalls of his collaborations with drummer Steve Reid, Hebden has seemed less interested in developing genres than in absorbing their tropes into his own hermetic sound world. What distinguishes Four Tet’s albums isn’t so much the kind of music he appropriates as how he uses it, and in this he’s been fairly consistent: He snips and smears until his sources all but vanish into his crisp polyrhythms. – Pitchfork

with:
Jon Hopkins || Listen
DJ Frosty (Dub Lab)

9pm / $13 / 18+

Tuesday 03.17.09: Echo & The Purple Pit Presents NUTTY w/ Special Guest DJ BONEBRAKE’S BONEBRAKE SYNCHOPATERS @ echo

Bonebrake Syncopators (featuring DJ Bonebrake of X)

and:
Nutty || Listen

Plus a Special Guest DJ

“The PURPLE PIT, situated and hosted by NUTTY at various swanky establishments around town, is THE jazz/lounge/exotica hangout for L.A. hipsters, jetsetters, scene-makers…the SWINGERATI, dig? Check out L.A.’s best lounge bands, plus art, comedy, top-shelf cocktails and fine dining. Leave your daily reality with the hat-check chick and step into swank time!”

Two Shows starting at 9pm & 11pm

8:30pm / $8 / all ages

Tuesday 03.24.09: T MODEL FORD (Early Time) / DARK MEAT / GRAMPALL JOOKABOX @ echo

T Model Ford || Watch || MP3

T-Model’s 80-something years old… his Mississippi Driver’s License says he’s 84, his US Passport says he’s 87, and he says he’s 88… so you decide. He started playing guitar based on Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf, but T’s only got one style: his own. T’s illiterate, so no use in talking to him about tuning. We call it “open T” because it’s his own unique sound. T-Model says he doesn’t have a care in the world. I believe him. He’s acting like he is willing to die on the road, playing music and doing what he loves.

with:

Dark Meat

Dark Meat’s debut album, Universal Indians, begins quietly, with the lone voice of Page Campbell singing an a capella intro with a distinctly pastoral lilt. Just when your ears have become accustomed to her folksy mellifluousness, “Freedom Ritual” explodes in a rapture of sound, as approximately two-thirds of the population of Athens, Georgia, come in all at once. Or at least that’s how it sounds. Dark Meat is a Southern rock (or Southern-rock) collective headed by Jim McHugh and spiritually guided by free-jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler, and Universal Indians features nearly 30 musicians seemingly playing at the same time.

These sprawling songs hang together loosely, dense and busy with different textures, which are caked on in thick brushstrokes to sound large and layered: Jeff Tobias and Alexis Daglis’ saxophones squall through “Assholes for Eyeballs”, adding a grainy dissonance, while the marching-band brass make “One More Trip” sound like the coolest field show ever. “Angel of Meth” features girl-group harmonies and “Be My Baby” drums. Descending guitar riffs fall through “Dead Man” and “In the Woods”; choirs of backing vocals echo the choruses, punctuating McHugh’s drunken vocals with Stonesy staccato ooh-oohs; gospel cries occasionally pierce the din. – Pitchfork

plus:
Grampall Jookabox

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8pm / $10 / 18+

Friday 03.13.09: GRAM RABBIT / EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS / CROOKED COWBOY AND THE FRESHWATER INDIANS @ echo

Gram Rabbit || Listen || Watch

They’ve gone from strange to stranger, those Joshua Tree denizens known as Gram Rabbit. On their third album, RadioAngel and the RobotBeat, they come out spitting, with lead singer and co-songwriter Jesika von Rabbit coming off like Grace Jones with a bunny fetish on the fed-up-with-technology electro-ditty “American Hookers.” Considering they go to sleep every night under a sky filled with more stars than the rest of us can only dream of, it’s not surprising their lyrics express a great deal of concern for “the world gone wrong.” They also come from a place with fewer teeth per capita than the rest of the state, hence references to priests smoking crystal meth and pit bulls. Even weirder is “The Rest of Us Sleep,” which sounds like video-game effects. My pick hit is “Fancy Dancy,” with what may be the best line of the summer: “Any way you slice it, it’s still bologna.” They even wrote a song about Landers, called “Landers,” which is some blips and plucks and pounds and maybe some voices. Bonus: Most of the new tunes are excellent for doing “The Robot.” – LA Weekly

with:
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Crooked Cowboy & The Freshwater Indians

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

9pm / $10 Advance, $12 Day Of Show / 18+

Wednesday 03.18.09: GOLEM / THE SWAY MACHINERY @ echo

Golem || Listen

America, what a country! The assimilated young New Yorkers in this Gypsy-punk sextet sure think so, jury duty and ESL classes notwithstanding. Previous Golem discs rewired traditional klezmer (raucous Jewish wedding jazz), mainly with vocals in Yiddish. Their fifth disc’s originals, based loosely on Ukrainian immigrant songs collected by singer Annette Ezekiel-Kogan, are in English and just about every tongue spoken East of the Danube, with rock and reggae underpinning whirling dervishes and Old World lover’s laments. The universality comes from carefree comic irony: Ezekiel-Kogan brassily nails a mock citizenship exam (Q: “Can you name the 49th state in the Union?” A: “Al-aaaaa-ska!”) and cosinger Aaron Diskin rhymes kosher and fo’ sure in a song about how much he loves tuches. Pretty soon, the space between exile and arrival starts sounding like a hot spot. – Blender

with:
The Sway Machinery || Listen

7pm / $8 / 18+

Sunday 03.01.09: 826LA’s BATTLE OF THE BANDS @ echoplex

The live 826LA Battle of the Bands is an all-ages show going down at the Echoplex in Echo Park on March 1 at 3:00 p.m. Each set includes an original song written by 826LA students in Songwriting with Kate and Friends, a workshop led by singer/songwriter Kate Micucci.

The live 826LA Battle of the Bands will be judged by industry professionals: Liz Garo, Booker at Spaceland Productions; Pat McGuire, Editor in Chief of Filter Magazine; and Daniel Gill, owner of Force Field PR. Winners will receive spots in 826LA’s new monthly variety show Tiny Vaudeville, a music video produced by Draw Pictures, a profile on filter-mag.com, and other prizes.

Buy Tickets

3pm / $10 / All Ages

Sunday 03.15.09: Australian BBQ with MY DISCO / THE DRONES / DAPPLED CITIES / RED RIDERS / THE FUMES / THE BOAT PEOPLE / LOENE CARMEN / THE ART / HELL CITY GLAMOURS @ echo

with:
My Disco
The Drones
Dappled Cities
Red Riders
The Fumes
The Boat People
Loene Carmen
The Art
Hell City Glamours

2pm / $10 advance, $12 day of show / all ages

Thursday 03.19.09: Comedy Is The New Black & BUST Magazine present ELLE O ELLE with some of LA’s Funniest Female Comedians @ Echoplex

A little bit of stand up,a little bit of sketch comedy,a lot of laughs and a few surprises as COMEDY IS THE NEW BLACK and BUST MAGAZINE celebrate the first day of spring with some of L.A.’s funniest female comedians!

A Night of All Female Comedy with Stand Up Comedienns from Comedy Central, MTV, The Late Late Show, and more!

Liesa Mills, Kat Wompas, Candace Kregg, Tamra Brown, Justine Marino, Mary Patterson Broome, Jada Cada-Pretta, Jackie Gold, Lizzy Cooperman, and Erin Foley

Sketch Comedy from Alex Fox and Rachel Lewis of the Jon and Eddie Show, Multimedia from Michaela Dietz and Erin Brown from that DumShow and Hari Leigh and Susan Burke from the Country Club.

Also lots of free giveaways!

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

7:30pm / $10 / 18+

Thursday 03.26.09: THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES / TERA MELOS / KILL KILL KILL @ echoplex

These Arms Are Snakes || Listen

Artsy Seattle post-hardcore act These Arms Are Snakes mixes the urgency and aggressive vocal style of punk with the exploded song structures and technical complexity of the original wave of math rock bands. This fusion is a logical progression from the bandmembers’ former projects: singer Steve Snere was formerly of the Minneapolis-to-Seattle emo transplants Kill Sadie, while bassist, singer, and keyboardist Brian Cook was formerly in long-running math rockers Botch. (Scene incest note: other former members of Botch and Kill Sadie, guitarist David Knudson and bassist Cory Murchy respectively, formed another Seattle post-hardcore act, Minus the Bear, whose drummer, Erin Tate, was in both Kill Sadie and one lineup of These Arms Are Snakes. A Pete Frame-style family tree among all these bands would probably induce a nagging headache.) – MTV

with:
Tera Melos || Listen
Kill Kill Kill || Listen

7pm / $10 advance; $12 day of show / all ages

Saturday 03.14.09: Binary Presents FUTURECOP / MIAMI HORROR / SHOUT OUT OUT OUT OUT / SHORT CIRCUIT / KIDS ARE RADIOACTIVE @ echoplex

Futurecop

This may be the catchiest, most enjoyable collection of music that’s ever appeared here on Video Pop. That’s saying a lot.

Manzur and Peter (aka Futurecop!) sent me another fantastic mixtape, and this one is absolutely jam-packed with moments of pop bliss!

They’ve incorporated some of the highest quality baltimore club and nu-disco/electro pop in this one, as well as some Futurecop! originals (“Eyes Like the Ocean” and “Space Thieves.”) All around solid stuff.

At only 26 minutes, Euromixtape October 2008 is also very concise. I really like mixes that are under half an hour because the DJ is forced to make good decisions, get rid of any filler, and make something special happen from the start. If that was the goal with this mix, they definitely succeeded. – Video Pop

with:
Miami Horror
Shout Out Out Out Out || Listen
Short Circuit
Kids Are Radioactive

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9pm / $10 / 18+

Saturday 03.07.09: BOOTIE LA @ echoplex

BOOTIE LA
LA’s monthly mashup bootleg party

Live at 11 PM, from San Francisco, mashup pioneers:
THE EVOLUTION CONTROL COMMITTEE
presents The Wheel of Mashup and the brand-new VidiMasher 3000!

Bootie mashup DJs:
DJ PAUL V.
DJ SHYBOY

This month, live on stage at 11 PM, Bootie LA is proud to present the return of the “Grandfathers of the Mashup” — The Evolution Control Committee. These groundbreaking, copyright-infringing pioneers will be presenting “The Wheel of Mashup,” where you, the audience, spin the outer wheel to determine the music and the inner wheel to choose the vocals — the two get mashed together on the spot! The ECC will also be bringing their latest mashing invention, the VidiMasher 3000. It’s a giant video screen hacked from two Nintendo Wii controllers that allow TradeMark G. to instantaneously mix and mash over 800 samples right before your eyes … literally! It’s Britney vs. Led Zeppelin, the Fat Boys vs. the Muppets, the Black Eyed Peas vs. Green Eyed Lady, and many, many more.

Also on the bill are Bootie mashup DJs Paul V. and Shyboy, who will be spinning mashups for the dancefloor all night!

Launched in 2003, Bootie was the first club night in the United States dedicated solely to the burgeoning artform of the bootleg mashup — and is now the biggest mashup event in the world, with monthly parties in six cities on two continents. 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!

Resident DJs Adrian, Mysterious D, and Paul V. keep your brain guessing and body dancing with creative song combinations, celebrating — and satirizing — the many different forms of music. Bootie showcases the best in mashup productions from around the globe and delivers them on the dance floor … because one song at a time just isn’t enough!

FREE Bootie CDs to the first 75 people through the door!

FMI: http://www.BootieLA.com

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

Friday 02.27.09: the boulet brothers present MISS KITTYS PARLOUR SEVEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY BALL @ echoplex

come celebrate 7 years of electronic sin and fun at our new ballroom on the eastside!!

with live stage shows, burlesque, gogo boys and girls, and performances featuring a crew of the most infamous djs, dancers, performance artists, freaks and burlesque divas in town

7 DEADLY SINS electro burlesque floor show
featuring a seven year culmination of L.A. sin, oddities and fierce

7 DEADLY SINS Photo Exhibit from DAN SANTONI & APPOLLO STAR!
Official Release Party with swag & stars from VIVID ALT!
GIFT BAGS full of naughty fun from the Pleasure Chest!

Nu-Electro, Nu-Disco, Nu-Wave , Nu-Rave, indie dance with DJ BARBEAU and guests!

YOUR THEME IS FILTHY RICH!
all things retro, glamorous + naughty are encouraged; gutter glamour, pin up beauties, dandies, trust fund sluts, burlesque divas, steampunk studs, dirty mobsters, furs, & naughty retro fashions.

theme not required all are welcome.

With:
Your Hostess The Lady MISS KITTY
the boulet brothers
music by BARBEAU &Guests
Calpernia Addams
Johnny 2.0
Ernie Omega
Rhonda Le Fee
Kiwi THUNDER
Miss Kitty’s Filthy Family
Chrome Girl
Angelista Le Fuque
Melodie Gore
Katie Kane & More!

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Enter Through the Alley!

Coat Check & Valet Available, Cheap Drinks before 10:30pm!

10pm / FREE Before 10:30PM, $10 After / 21+

Friday 03.06.09: First Fridays with FOOLS GOLD / BLK JKS @ Natural History Museum

This season’s First Fridays celebrate “Darwin Year” through entertaining and fascinating conversations with six of the world’s foremost authors and experts on the life of Darwin, the science of evolution, and the revolutionary impact of the man and his work. Join us in discovery with an evening of programming: a curator-led tour, a discussion forum with Dr. Neil Shubin and Dr. Michael W. Quick, artist performances Fool’s Gold and Blk Jks and a DJ lounge with The Phatal DJ + Anthony Valadez (dublab.com)

with:
Fools Gold
Blk Jks || Listen

plus DJs:
The Phatal DJ
Anthony Valadez

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

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

5:30pm / All Ages

Saturday 02.21.09: HANG THE DJS with POP LEVI / GOLDEN YEARS / ACID GIRLS @ echoplex

with:
Pop Levi
Golden Years
Acid Girls

plus DJs:
Dia
Tim Biskup
Diana

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

10pm / $8 / 18+

Friday 03.13.09: SAY HI / TELEKINESIS / DEVON WILLIAMS @ echo

Say Hi || Listen || MP3

This brand new track from Eric Elbogen, who records as Say Hi, couldn’t have arrived at a more appropriate time: Anchored by an icy lead guitar riff and a chorus that longs for winter’s end, “November Was White, December Was Grey” is what’s playing in Mother Nature’s iPod this weekend as she tightens her frigid grip on much of America.

Seattle-based Elbogen tells SPIN.com that the song reflects the feeling of isolation winter can bring: “The overwhelming percentage of the year I spend cooped up writing records definitely comes with some cabin fever. And this song is mostly about that.”

What’s more, says Elbogen, “The title of the record came from this song, specifically the oohs that the backing vocal sings halfway through the first verse. That made me think of the abundance of oohs and aahs I sing throughout the record.” – Spin.com

With:
Telekinesis
Devon Williams

Save Money when you order tickets by mobile phone
text oohs&aahs to 467467

8pm / $8 Advance, $10 day of show / All Ages

Sunday 02.22.09: KIDROCKERS presents THE BROKEN WEST / WHISPERTOWN2000 – Hosted by Seth Herzog @ echo

with:
The Broken West || Listen
Whispertown 2000 || Listen

Hosted by:
Seth Herzog

KiDROCKERS is a concert series that began in January 2007. These All Ages shows are designed to bring families together to experience some of the most engaging and vital artists in indie music and comedy. Artists perform original (not specifically made for children) songs in a manner that is both authentic and kid-friendly. Past artists include Tad Kubler (and members of the Hold Steady), Matthew and Ira of Nada Surf, Ra Ra Riot, Langhorne Slim, The Jealous Girlfriends, Harlem Shakes, Rogue Wave, The Subjects, Looker, Bishop Allen, The Spinto Band, Locksley, Phonograph, Palomar, Pela, Los Campesinos!, Chris Baron and LEVY. Hosted by Seth Herzog and Craig Baldo.

Ages 3-13 recommended. Adults must be accompanied by a kid and vice versa.

1pm- 2:30pm / $9 in advance $12 at the door / All Ages

Monday 02.23.09: 826LA presents TINY VAUDEVILLE @ echoplex

826LA hosts the monthly series, 826LA’s Tiny Vaudeville, an extravaganza of talent at The Echoplex in Echo Park. Created and curated by the folks of 826LA, Tiny Vaudeville is the smallest vaudeville show in Los Angeles! Each show will run approximately ninety minutes and features acts from ranging from live music, short films, stand-up and sketch comedy, novelty acts, lectures, slide shows, and more. Between acts, a name actor will read original writing by students of 826LA. Tiny Vaudeville’s combinations are endless, and so are the possibilities! Each show is a unique theater experience.

with:
Host Joel Spence
The Dan Bern Orchestra with Common Rotation
The Musical Stylings of Maria Taylor
Jeremy Konner and his Melodious Cutlery
Laraine Newman
Eddie Pepitone, Bhama Roget, Lauren Rogers
and more!

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

BUY TICKETS

8pm / $12 / 18+

Sunday 04.26.09: PART TIME PUNKS with THE MAE SHI / THE WIDOW BABIES @ echo

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

With:
The Mae Shi || Listen
The Widow Babies || Listen

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Sunday 04.19.09: PART TIME PUNKS @ echo

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Sunday 04.12.09: PART TIME PUNKS – Smiths/Morrissey nite! @ echo

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Sunday 04.05.09: PART TIME PUNKS Guest DJ CUT CHEMIST + SIXTEENS + SECRET SOCIETY OF THE SONIC SIX @ echo

CUT CHEMIST
SIXTEENS
SECRET SOCIETY OF THE SONIC SIX

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Friday 02.20.09: IRREGULAR WINE TASTING – Six Aspects of Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages & Five Wines from Esser Vineyards and a sparkler from Spain @ echoplex

featuring:
Six Aspects of Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916)

Five Wines from Esser Vineyards and a sparkler from Spain

and much more

Hosted by:
Julian Davies (The Cheese Store)
DJ Cuz’n Roy

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

RSVP at:
irregularwinetasting@yahoo.com
Irregular Wine Tasting on Myspace

8pm / $20 / 21+

Tuesday 02.10.08: LIGHT FM / THE PARSON RED HEADS / THE SPIRES / FRENCH SEMESTER @ the echo

Light FM

Parked uncomfortably in a compact space between the luxury vehicles that are Weezer and the Cars, the latest from this L.A. quartet struggles mightily to squeeze out the passenger door. Airtight production, monster hooks and big dollops of fuzz- and candy-coated noise from guitarist Josiah Mazzaschi and keyboardist Kim Haden make this a great freeway album — listen to “The High” with the windows down — but the electro sheen gets awfully thick in places. – Buzz Bands

with:
The Parson Red Heads
The Spires
French Semester

8:30pm / FREE if 21+; $5 under / 18+

Friday 02.06.09: First Fridays with BIRD & THE BEE / JUKEBOX THE GHOST @ Natural History Museum

This season’s First Fridays celebrate “Darwin Year” through entertaining and fascinating conversations with six of the world’s foremost authors and experts on the life of Darwin, the science of evolution, and the revolutionary impact of the man and his work. Join us in discovery with an evening of programming: a curator-led tour, a discussion forum with Dr. Donald R. Prothero and Dr. Michael W. Quick, artist performances The Bird and the Bee and Jukebox The Ghost and a DJ lounge with The Phatal DJ + DJ Michael Stock (dublab.com)

with:
The Bird & The Bee
Jukebox The Ghost

plus DJs:
The Phatal DJ
DJ Michael Stock

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

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

5:30pm / All Ages

Tuesday 03.10.09: FOREIGN BORN / SLEEPY SUN / LARKIN GRIMM @ echo

Foreign Born || Listen || Watch

Born in San Francisco in summer 2003, the gauzy psych rock of Foreign Born is created by Lewis Pesacov (guitar), Matt W. Popieluch (vocals/guitar), Garrett Ray (drums), and Ariel Rechtshaid (bass). In 2005, the quartet headed south to L.A., and issued the 12″ release, “We Had Pleasure” b/w “Escape” and the In the Remote Woods EP. Percussion-loaded pop ballads, hypnotic bridges, and danceable rock edges all have their place on On the Wing Now. “Into Your Dream” ebbs and flows with new millennium Echo and the Bunnymen pop before sliding into a Raconteurs-style jam, while “Trial Wall” frolics with verses that capture the tinny clamor of Interpol without the latter’s ascending energy or dizzying choruses, but clear standout is “In the Shape,” a guitar-wheedling, high-energy treat tucked near the end of the album. – Spin

with:

Sleepy Sun || Listen || Watch

San Francisco’s Sleepy Sun is one of those every-so-often bands that absorbs, processes, and spits out its influences in such a way as to make pee run down the pants legs of music reviewers everywhere. From the heavy-thunder freakout of “New Age” through the gospel-tinged lament of “Lord” to the straight-up bad trip on “White Dove,” the band’s lysergic emanations, delivered through copper plumbing, are all flowery footpaths, winding streams of Robitussin, and nitroglycerine shrieks. They are designed to explode the most expanded of frontal lobes. Even the annoying parts resonate, so it’s better just to sit back and wait for the moment you missed to finally broadside you as revelation. Because that’s exactly what an album like this promises. – SF Weekly

Plus:
Larkin Grimm || Listen

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8:30pm / $8 / 18+

Sunday 03.08.09: MICHAEL GIRA (Angels Of Light / Swans) / LARKIN GRIMM @ echo

Michael Gira (Angels Of Light / Swans) || Watch

Starting in the late 1970s, Michael Gira made some of those most abrasive, visceral and violently beautiful music imaginable, his shows with a shifting cast of Swans now legendarily loud and brutal, his artistic collaboration with Jarboe one of the oddest and most compelling mixes of energies that the rock world has ever seen. Swans recorded dozens of albums from 1982 to 1998, closing their career with the monolithic two-cd live album Swans Are Dead. Gira and Jarboe went separate ways, and Gira almost immediately began working on an entirely different kind of project, rooted in traditional folk, blues and country; more lyrical, less ritual. He called it Angels of Light.

Many people have been part of Angels of Light over the years, Devendra Banhart and Akron/Family most famously, but dozens of others have contributed voices, instruments, personalities and ideas. Even so, it’s Gira’s project, as strange and joyful and confrontational and intelligent as the man himself. The project has changed over time, incorporating massive, celebratory anthems at one stage of Gira’s creative process (check out “Rose of Los Angeles” from Everything Is Good Here/Please Come Home), and tamping down to the musical equivalent of line drawings in the mostly acoustic The Angels of Light Sing ‘Other People’. – Popmatters

With:
Larkin Grimm || Listen

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7pm / $12 advance; $14 day of show / All Ages

Thursday 03.26.09: KENAN BELL / ILLINOIS / DOT HACKER / BOOM BIP (DJ set) @ echo

Kenan Bell || Listen || Watch

Wasn’t too long ago that Kenan Bell, above, cringed when he heard “rapper” uttered with his name. “In so many places there’s a negative connotation with the word,” the 25-year-old says, agreeing that, yes, one of those places might be the private school in Montrose where he teaches fourth- through sixth-graders. “But even with the negative persona rap music has, I think I can make music that embodies better things.” Bell, above, is off to a good start – with childhood pal Jason Burkhart and music vet Jon Siebels (Eve6), he released his “Good Day” EP earlier this year, is putting the finishing touches on a full-length album and has captured the fancy of L.A. crowds with his spry melodies and sprightly wordplay, thanks in part to a live lineup that includes the likes of guitarist Josh Klinghoffer and drummer Eric Gardner. A rock and jazz fan whose parents sang gospel, Bell manages to blend pop sensibilities, indie-rock edge and hip-hop attitude into rapid-fire soliloquies that even his students could love. – LA Times Buzz Bands

with:
Illinois || Listen
Dot Hacker
Boom Bip (DJ Set) || Listen

Save Money when you order tickets by mobile phone
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8:30pm / $10 / 18+

Tuesday 02.24.09: OLLIN / MENTIRITAS / KILLSONIC @ echo

Ollin || Listen

Originally a raucous chicano act that made its mark by spicing up punky rock ”’n roll with Tex-Mex and Jarocho influences, Ollin (the Aztec word for ””movement”” and ””earthquake””) eventually turned outwards to the rest of the world, incorporating klezmer and African sounds and rhythms into its music. More recently, Ollin opened for famed Irishmen The Pogues in San Francisco, and made such an impression that The Pogues demanded that the band open for them in Los Angeles late last year. The influence goes both ways: Ollin”’s new album San Patricios pays homage to the Irish soldiers in the Mexican-American War of 1847, and shows off a comfortable alignment of Irish fiddle-music and traditional Mexican rhythms. – Prefix Mag

with:
Mentiritas
Killsonic || Listen

8:30pm / $8 / 18+

Monday 03.30.09: Origami Records Residency SUMMER DARLING / WAIT.THINK.FAST. / KISSING COUSINS@ echo

Summer Darling

Based in Los Angeles and formed in 2002, Summer Darling began as a three piece indie pop band with an interest in songwriting and melody. Comprised of vocalist / songwriter Ben Heywood, drummer / guitarist Dan Rossiter and bassist/vocalist Heather Bray, they released the “What’s Done is Done EP” shortly thereafter, handcrafting each CD individually. In 2004 they collaborated with producer Frank Lenz (Pedro the Lion/Richard Swift/Starflyer 59) for the full length record “I Know You, I Never Knew You” and again released it themselves.

The last few years have seen Summer Darling chart a different direction. With the addition of Loop Haro on drums and a more group-oriented approach to song crafting, 2008’s “Health of Others” is the first of 3 digital EPs to be released this year, representing a new dynamic style. On it, Summer Darling explores the relationship between infidelity and retribution. The songwriting focuses on a more band-oriented approach, resulting in a more dynamic and symphonic sound. – Insomnia Radio

with:
Wait.Think.Fast.
Kissing Cousins

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 03.23.09: KAMRAN’S PRINCE NIGHT BIRTHDAY BASH – THE RAT PACK VS THE REVOLUTION @ echo

So, yeah. My dad had me when he was forty… His bday is March 19th. Mine is March 25th. We’re both in LA and having a party. He likes Sinatra. I like Prince. Come party with the Persians. Join us in your best new-wave glam or rat-pack inspired garb. 1999+10: I’m thirty.

Like before, its for charity AIDS Project Los Angeles. Last year we made over $800. Having said that, its completely voluntary. Times are tough. Come have fun. No pressure on the charity but if you can give, either give at the door or donate via PayPal. Either way, NO GIFTS PLEASE! Your gift to me would be showing up and most importantly DRESSING UP.

Confirmed Performances by Summer Darling, vosotros, Love Grenades and Club Underground DJs [diana b. goode(underground / black candy), soft touch (underground / funky sole), supercrass (underground / am/fm)] all playing Prince and Sinatra all nite. Maybe more to come.

FMI: http://www.cykik.com/prince

8pm / Donations Accepted / 21+

Monday 03.16.09: Origami Record Residency WAIT.THINK.FAST. / VOICESVOICES / THE LATE BIRDS / DAME SATAN@ echo

Wait.Think.Fast.

Wait Think Fast is one of the current standouts in a burgeoning scene of ethnically and musically diverse Los Angeles-based bands. Fronted by Argentinean-born vocalist and pianist Jacqueline Santillan, the quartet adds distinct flavor to its atmospheric, post-punk sound by using both Spanish and English for its bilingual lyrics. Wait Think Fast released a self-titled debut EP last year, and it’s recently followed it up with the 7-song Vuelve al Mar, on L.A.’s Origami Records. – NPR

with:
VOICEsVOICEs
The Late Birds || Listen
Dame Satan || Listen

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 03.09.09: Origami Records Residency WAIT.THINK.FAST. / SUMMER DARLING / SHILOE / TWO GUNS / THE CITY STREETS @ echo

Wait.Think.Fast.

Wait Think Fast is one of the current standouts in a burgeoning scene of ethnically and musically diverse Los Angeles-based bands. Fronted by Argentinean-born vocalist and pianist Jacqueline Santillan, the quartet adds distinct flavor to its atmospheric, post-punk sound by using both Spanish and English for its bilingual lyrics. Wait Think Fast released a self-titled debut EP last year, and it’s recently followed it up with the 7-song Vuelve al Mar, on L.A.’s Origami Records. – NPR

with:
Summer Darling || Listen
Shiloe || Listen
Two Guns || Listen
The City Streets || Listen

8pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 03.02.09: Origami Records Residency SUMMER DARLING / WRITER / THE MONOLATORS / THE HECTORS / DJ VELVET TOUCH @ echo

Summer Darling || Listen || Watch

Based in Los Angeles and formed in 2002, Summer Darling began as a three piece indie pop band with an interest in songwriting and melody. Comprised of vocalist / songwriter Ben Heywood, drummer / guitarist Dan Rossiter and bassist/vocalist Heather Bray, they released the “What’s Done is Done EP” shortly thereafter, handcrafting each CD individually. In 2004 they collaborated with producer Frank Lenz (Pedro the Lion/Richard Swift/Starflyer 59) for the full length record “I Know You, I Never Knew You” and again released it themselves.

The last few years have seen Summer Darling chart a different direction. With the addition of Loop Haro on drums and a more group-oriented approach to song crafting, 2008’s “Health of Others” is the first of 3 digital EPs to be released this year, representing a new dynamic style. On it, Summer Darling explores the relationship between infidelity and retribution. The songwriting focuses on a more band-oriented approach, resulting in a more dynamic and symphonic sound. – Insomnia Radio

with:
Writer || Listen
The Monolators || Listen
The Hectors || Listen
DJ Velvet Touch

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Tuesday 02.17.09: Lounge Night with NUTTY / DOUBLE NAUGHT SPY CAR @ echo

Tuesday, February 17th, 9pm: The Purple Pit surfaces upstairs at the Echo in Echo Park for a night of swing ‘n’ swank. It’s a lounge hang for the in-crowd! It’s a classic rock/cocktail jazz recipe blended to perfection! It’s a moody journey through a crime novel on a magic guitarpet ride! Join NUTTY and special featured guest DOUBLE NAUGHT SPY CAR for an eclectic night of laughs and some serious music.

with:
NUTTY
DOUBLE NAUGHT SPY CAR

8pm / $8 / 18+

Sunday 02.15.09: Grand Ole Echo Presents TED RUSSELL KAMP / DEAD ROCK WEST / MIKE STINSON

with:
Ted Russell Kamp || Listen
Mike Stinson || Listen
Dead Rock West || Listen

4pm / FREE / All Ages

Saturday 03.28.09: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Saturday 03.21.09: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Saturday 03.14.09: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Saturday 03.07.09: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Friday 03.27.09: CLUB UNDERGROUND @ 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 03.20.09: CLUB UNDERGROUND & HANG THE DJS – The Return of RAZZMATAZZ @ echoplex

Performing live:
Jeppe (formerly Junior Senior)
Jean Paul Yamamoto (Japan)

Plus DJs:
Larry G. (Underground / Razzmatazz)
Maurice De La Falaise (Hang The DJs / Razzmatazz)
Clifton (Underground / Razzmatazz)
Alex (Transistor / AM/FM)
Diana (Underground / Black Candy)
Ruth (Razzmatazz / Trash)

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

FMI:
ClubUnderground.net
Hang The DJs

9pm / $8 / 18+

Friday 03.13.09: CLUB UNDERGROUND @ 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 03.06.09: CLUB UNDERGROUND @ 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+

Sunday 03.29.09: PART TIME PUNKS with THE HOMOSEXUALS / SILVER APPLES + SHARK TOYS @ echo

with:
The Homosexuals || Listen
Shark Toys
Silver Apples || Listen

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $12 advance, $15 day of show / 18+

Sunday 03.22.09: PART TIME PUNKS – FACTORY RECORDS NITE @ echo

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Sunday 03.15.09: PART TIME PUNKS with THESE ARE POWERS + DEATH SENTENCE: PANDA! @ echo

with:
These Are Powers (Ex- LIARS members)
Death Sentence: Panda!

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $8 / 18+

Sunday 03.08.09: PART TIME PUNKS – Yay! Records Nite with THE TARTANS + THE SEA LIONS @ echo

with:
The Tartans || Listen
The Sea Lions || Listen (7″ Release Party)

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Sunday 03.01.09: PART TIME PUNKS with TYVEK + WEAVE! @ echo

with:
Tyvek
Weave!

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Wednesday 03.25.09: 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

9pm / $5 / 21+

Wednesday 03.18.09: DUB CLUB presents ANTHONY B @ echoplex

Anthony B || Listen

Draped in the rich colours of African cloth, his trademark staff in hand, and his dreadlocks wrapped regally on his head, Anthony B embodies all that it is spiritual and proactive about Reggae music. This artiste has been steadfast in his mission to represent the poor and oppressed, using sharp lyrics to confront political injustices and bring the issues of the people to the forefront. In the process, he has raised the quality of performance standards and lyrical content for the industry, through the release of 13 albums, over 1000 singles and appearances on over 100 albums in the last 14 years.
Anthony B’s musical journey started in the church, back when he was still called Keith Anthony Blair in Clark’s Town, Trelawney. In this part of rural Jamaica, Anthony B was immersed in the thunderous chants and rhythms of Revivalism and the Seventh Day Adventist church where he honed his soon-to-be signature vocals. In his formative years, the artiste also cleaved to the music of Otis Redding and the incomparable Peter Tosh.

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

9pm / $12 advance, $15 day of show / 21+

Wednesday 03.11.09: 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

9pm / $5 / 21+

Wednesday 03.04.09: 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

9pm / $5 / 21+

Wednesday 03.25.09: NO CULTURE @ echo

FMI: No Culture on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Wednesday 03.18.09: NO CULTURE @ echo

FMI: No Culture on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Wednesday 03.11.09: NO CULTURE @ echo

SCION A/V – KITSUNÉ PIONEER CD RELEASE PARTY

FMI: No Culture on Myspace

CLICK TO RSVP

10pm / FREE WITH RSVP / 18+

Wednesday 03.04.09: NO CULTURE @ echo

FMI: No Culture on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Saturday 02.14.09: Beat Junkies Sound Presents NIGHTLIFE – SONGS IN THE KEY OF “D” @ echoplex

with:
THE BEAT JUNKIES
J.ROCC
BABU
RHETTMATIC
MR. CHOC

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

10:30pm / $10 / 18+

Thursday 02.19.09: ELENI MANDELL / WHISPERTOWN 2000 / USELESS KEYS @ echo

Eleni Mandell || Listen || Watch

The New Yorker once called L.A.’s Eleni Mandell “the best unsigned artist in the business,” and while she’s flirted with small independents since, she has yet to truly reap the national exposure she’s long deserved. The kudos she received from a few significant outlets for 2007’s Miracle of Five was a start, but with any hope, the lights will shine brighter with the release of the upcoming Artificial Light. The LP drops February 17 via Zedtone Records (…yeah, who?) and we’re telling you right now: don’t miss the boat on this one.

Judging by the fantastic mp3 of the title track above — jagged, mysterious and not-so-sublty funky –the album should be full of left turns. Plus, Stark favorite Inara George (of The Bird and The Bee) guests, on a song we can only hypothesize as being the greatest sounding duet ever. (Those two voices together? Send the album our way, please.) – Stark Online

with:
Whispertown 2000 || Listen
Useless Keys || Listen

Save Money when you order tickets by mobile phone
text Songbird to 467467

8pm / $10 / 18+

Thursday 02.26.09: HEALTH / ABE VIGODA / CAPTAIN AHAB @ echo

Health || Listen || Watch

To paraquote something Henry Rollins once wrote in his classic book, Get in the Van: I once saw Lightning Bolt make people lose their shit, but not like HEALTH. I have no basis of comparison to other HEALTH shows, but this will go down as one of the best live shows I’ve seen in my life, and I’ve seen more than a few. While HEALTH’s records are good, they don’t hold a candle to the live performance. Jerking themselves around like puppets the musicians were electrifying, and that crypto-divine power transferred to the audience, who writhed and jumping about with total abandon. To be honest, the crowd did get a little obnoxious, with more than a few people spilling splashes of drinks on pedal boards — something that made the musician in me cringe.

Although to some, HEALTH’s music might have sounded like utter chaos with occasional moments of sublime musical beauty, to me it was like they had taken the essence of no wave, post-punk, harsh noise and electronic pop and created an alchemical blend of all of it that was unbelievably intense and visceral. – Westword

with:
Abe Vigoda || Listen
Captain Ahab || Listen

8pm / $12 / all ages

Thursday 02.12.09: Heart & LA Record present THE HAPPY HOLLOWS / CROOKED COWBOY AND THE FRESHWATER INDIANS / THE MOVIES / ANNI ROSSI / JILLIAN HANK LEIGH / WHITMAN plus Special guests @ echo

with:
The Happy Hollows || Listen

But is Sarah Negahdari the strangest woman in rock? You decide. We’ll say this: She’s one of the coolest. A killer hybrid of Kim Deal, PJ Harvey and Emily Haines, Negahdari has the guitar chops, explosive energy and winning sense of humor that should make The Happy Hollows one of the more interesting band of our new millennium’s next decade. Keep an eye out for her. – Wired Magazine

with:
Crooked Cowboy & The Freshwater Indians
The Movies
Anni Rossi || Listen
Jillian Hank Leigh
Whitman

Plus Special Guests

presented by: Heart and LA Record

7pm / free before 8pm, $5 after / 18+

Monday 02.23.09: HOLLOYS / AVI BUFFALO / HIS ORCHESTRA @ ECHO

Holloys || Listen

The holloys’ dynamically evolving sound of avant-garde techniques and influences drawn from a diverse range of cultural traditions and musical genres culminates in the release of Art Wars, their new, five-track EP. With its beat-heavy blend of trance, dance, Afropop polyrhythm, neo-prog, electronica and soaring pop melodies, Art Wars finally ushers rock into the 21st century.

Los Angeles-based visual artist and musician Jim Brown has taken the holloys through many incarnations and performance venues. Jim has toured the holloys throughout Mexico and Japan as a solo act, performed in the piss-stained alleys and lofts of LA’s gallery district, and has included an acclaimed solo show at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. At the same time, the holloys sound has evolved from ambient noise through abstract trance jamming to Art Wars’ successful reintegration of song and voice on its five, searing, pop-inflected and exquisitely danceable tracks.

With:
Avi Buffalo
His Orchestra

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 2.16.09: HOLLOYS / RAINBOW ARABIA / PIT ER PAT @ echo

Holloys || Listen

The holloys’ dynamically evolving sound of avant-garde techniques and influences drawn from a diverse range of cultural traditions and musical genres culminates in the release of Art Wars, their new, five-track EP. With its beat-heavy blend of trance, dance, Afropop polyrhythm, neo-prog, electronica and soaring pop melodies, Art Wars finally ushers rock into the 21st century.

Los Angeles-based visual artist and musician Jim Brown has taken the holloys through many incarnations and performance venues. Jim has toured the holloys throughout Mexico and Japan as a solo act, performed in the piss-stained alleys and lofts of LA’s gallery district, and has included an acclaimed solo show at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. At the same time, the holloys sound has evolved from ambient noise through abstract trance jamming to Art Wars’ successful reintegration of song and voice on its five, searing, pop-inflected and exquisitely danceable tracks.

with:
Rainbow Arabia
Pit Er Pat || Listen

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Wednesday 02.25.09: NO CULTURE @ echo

FMI: No Culture on Myspace

10pm / FREE for 21+ before 11pm & $5 after, $5 for under 21 / 18+

Wednesday 02.18.09: NO CULTURE @ echo

FMI: No Culture on Myspace

10pm / FREE for 21+ before 11pm & $5 after, $5 for under 21 / 18+

Sunday 02.15.09 THE MUSIC TAPES / NANA GRIZOL / BRIAN DEWAN @ echoplex

The Music Tapes || MP3 || Watch

Even within the context of the Elephant 6 Collective, The Music Tapes have always stood out as an especially eccentric band. After contributing to indie milestones like Neutral Milk Hotel and Olivia Tremor Control, Music Tapes mastermind Julian Koster decided to resurrect his high school project with the help of Jeremy Barnes (now of A Hawk and a Hacksaw).

Their debut, First 1999’s Imaginary Symphony for Nomad, was a conceptual psych-pop near-masterpiece that featured Koster’s brittle off-key singing, experimental arrangements, and even more experimental production (parts of the record featured an Edison wax cylinder recorder from 1895). The only thing fans of that record have had to keep them going since is an almost impossible to find CDR of the sequel, Second Imaginary Symphony for Cloudmaking (you can hear portions of it here.)

Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes is the first proper follow-up to the First Imaginary Symphony. It is a concept record as well, although the narrative this time around is less explicit (most of the songs are about clouds or reindeer or both). Koster’s affinity for the singing saw is at the forefront of this album as well, which, paired with his aggressively unique voice, may make for a disarming first listen for the uninitiated. But the singing saws, banjos, and Ping-Pong ball percussion begin to make sense together and create a whimsical world in which the fate of a tornado can have a direct emotional effect on the listener. – Prefix Mag

With:
Nana Grizol
Brian Dewan

Save Money when you order tickets by mobile phone
text Static to 467467

8 pm / $12 / All Ages

Friday 02.13.09 Stones Throw & Echo present PEANUT BUTTER WOLF / PRINCE PAUL / EGYPTIAN LOVER / DAM-FUNK / MAYER HAWTHORNE @ echoplex

Peanut Butter Wolf || Listen || Watch

PB and a cadre of DJ’s and Stones Throw affiliates crowd the DJ cabinet, and the mob from inside assimilates into the patio’s mob, an army of hip, unhip, dread-locked, fro-hawked, fedora topped anticipation. PB did not disappoint, after some tech stall, up comes the video projection to the immediate left. DJ Rhettmatic (Beat Junkies/ Visionaries) handling hype duties, the music video mixing was a new experience for me. One might assume that the somewhat younger crowd may not appreciate “oldies night”, and I would have to Homie The Clown their asses across their crown, everyone was sold. 50’s to early 70’s, funk to hippie-rock, the mixes of the videos and the music was audio/video ecstasy. I dug, they dug, it was a good time. – Urb

with:
Prince Paul

Prince Paul is already revered as a godfather to the genre, mentioned in the same breath with older hip-hop icons like Grandmaster Flash and Kool Herc. He first took to the turntables at 11 years old, and ever since, Paul has remained the hip-hop scene’s most adventurous producer, shaping and reshaping the music according to his gonzo sensibility.

Plus:
Egyptian Lover
Dam-funk || Listen
Mayer Hawthorne || Listen

Save Money when you order tickets by mobile phone
text stonesthrow to 467467

9pm / $15 / 18+

Friday 02.20.09: Echo & Club Underground present BROKEN SPINDLES / RAINBOW ARABIA @ echo

Broken Spindles || Listen

The Faint’s bassist is branching back out into his one-man project.

Broken Spindles, the solo project of The Faint’s Joel Peterson, returns Feb. 17 with Kiss/Kick from The Faint’s own label, Blank.wav records. Recorded in studio The Faint opened last year, Enamel, the new album branches out from the laptop-recorded minimalism of the Spindles’ earlier work, to tap live drums and all that other stuff you can do in a studio and not on a notebook computer.

“I knew that finding the balance of opposites was key to making sense of it all, to get the right mix of human and machine, acoustic and electronic, analog and digital, spontaneous and premeditated,” Peterson said in a statement. – Aversion

with:
Rainbow Arabia

Save Money when you order tickets by mobile phone
text kisskick to 467467

8:30pm / $10 / 18+

Friday 02.06.09: Echo, Club Underground & Hang The DJS present LADY SOVEREIGN @ echo

Lady Sovereign || Listen || MP3

A 5 ft 1 pixie with giant passion, ambition and sheer raw talent, if there is one theme running through the magical existence of Lady Sovereign, then it’s that of being a fiercely independent creative spirit who, one way or another, was born to be different.

Back in the studio and back in control, her forthcoming album Jigsaw is everything we have come to expect from a rapper whose unique flow and gutsy sensibility has already wowed hundreds upon thousands of fans all over the world. Setting the record straight, Jigsaw tells Sov’s rollercoaster story of the last two years with her usual honesty, genre-defying beats and punchy, zest-fresh lyrics.

Back in the pilot’s seat with an awesome new album and her own label, it looks like that indomitable spirit of Sovereign is bang on; everything is good, everything is working out. And the next chapter has only just begun…

Plus:
Club Underground Resident DJs spinning all night

9pm / $10 / 18+

Monday 02.02.09: HOLLOYS / BOBB BRUNO / DAVID SCOTT STONE / BUZZARD @ echo

Holloys || Listen

The holloys’ dynamically evolving sound of avant-garde techniques and influences drawn from a diverse range of cultural traditions and musical genres culminates in the release of Art Wars, their new, five-track EP. With its beat-heavy blend of trance, dance, Afropop polyrhythm, neo-prog, electronica and soaring pop melodies, Art Wars finally ushers rock into the 21st century.

Los Angeles-based visual artist and musician Jim Brown has taken the holloys through many incarnations and performance venues. Jim has toured the holloys throughout Mexico and Japan as a solo act, performed in the piss-stained alleys and lofts of LA’s gallery district, and has included an acclaimed solo show at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. At the same time, the holloys sound has evolved from ambient noise through abstract trance jamming to Art Wars’ successful reintegration of song and voice on its five, searing, pop-inflected and exquisitely danceable tracks.

with:
Bobb Bruno
David Scott Stone
Buzzard

8:30 pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 02.09.09: HOLLOYS / SABERTOOTH TIGER / RED EXILES / CALIFORNIA PARTY GIRLS @ echo

Holloys || Listen

The holloys’ dynamically evolving sound of avant-garde techniques and influences drawn from a diverse range of cultural traditions and musical genres culminates in the release of Art Wars, their new, five-track EP. With its beat-heavy blend of trance, dance, Afropop polyrhythm, neo-prog, electronica and soaring pop melodies, Art Wars finally ushers rock into the 21st century.

Los Angeles-based visual artist and musician Jim Brown has taken the holloys through many incarnations and performance venues. Jim has toured the holloys throughout Mexico and Japan as a solo act, performed in the piss-stained alleys and lofts of LA’s gallery district, and has included an acclaimed solo show at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. At the same time, the holloys sound has evolved from ambient noise through abstract trance jamming to Art Wars’ successful reintegration of song and voice on its five, searing, pop-inflected and exquisitely danceable tracks.

with:
Sabertooth Tiger || Listen
Red Exiles
California Party Girls

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Wednesday 02.11.09: NO CULTURE @ echo

FMI: No Culture on Myspace

10pm / FREE for 21+ before 11pm & $5 after, $5 for under 21 / 18+

Wednesday 02.04.09: NO CULTURE w/ TIM SWEENEY (Beats in Space/DFA) @ echo

FMI: No Culture on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Sunday 02.08.09: TSOL / DI / BLACK PRESIDENT / THE STRANGER @ echoplex

TSOL || Listen

When T.S.O.L. blasted onto the Orange County punk explosion in 1979 with white face paint, 6′ plus frames and blazing punk anthems, they were automatically a force to be reckoned with. Today, 10 years since it’s last “reunion”, the band is back to give us what they gave then. “Superficial Love”, “80 Times”, “Code Blue”, “Wash Away” and the rest of those vintage punk nuggets will be blasted live into our faces again. Those who were not around to witness TSOL in their heyday can finally see for themselves why the band spawned a generation of bands and changed the shape of music today.

with:
D.I.||Listen
Black President
The Stranger

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

7pm / $15 Advance, $17 Day of Show / all ages

Friday 02.27.09: Echo & Club Underground present – EVEREST / THE PARSON RED HEADS / TWO SHEDS @ echo

Everest || Listen || Watch

Ghost Notes is the perfect moniker for this album, Everest’s first. The group may be new, but the members have been kicking around the L.A. indie scene forever, finally coming together in this amalgamation to resurrect the sounds of the past. Recorded mostly live in the studio entirely on analog tape, the entire set has an early-’70s feel, as well as a glow to the sound that reflects Mike Terry’s expert engineering and production. The album divides rather nicely into two halves, just like a vinyl set, with the first half a bit brighter with pop undertones, the second more shadowed and pushing into jam and prog rock territory. “Trees” is buffeted by a breeze blowing out of the South, “Into Your Soft Heart” is tinged with British Invasion R&B and a whip of Who-esque power chords, a styling taken to its logical upbeat conclusion on the wildly infectious “Reloader.” In contrast are downtempo numbers like “Rebels in the Roses” and “Black Covers,” the former folk-tinged, the latter lusher in sound. Each one has its own many distinctive charms, but it’s the gorgeous, introspective “Only in Your Mind” that is the centerpiece of this half of the set. If you distilled Dark Side of the Moon, Pet Sounds, and Revolver into a glass and poured it over the California surf, it would probably sound like this. The glories of “Mind” are equalled by the exquisite aural tapestry of “I See It in Your Eyes,” a head-nodder of a number whose rich acoustic guitar is underlit by the tidal waves of organ, while the electric guitar eventually wades right into the surf. However, its jammy feel and proggy aura are counter-pointed by passages clearly inspired by Neil Young. Meanwhile, “Standing By” begins like an acoustic ballad but builds into an amazing spacy extravaganza. “Angry Storm” is gently rocked with yearning, and the coursing “Stumble Waltz” never puts a foot or note wrong, with the album closing with the powerful acoustic ballad “Taking on the Future.” The music throughout is sublime, the sound extraordinary, the arrangements inspired, and Russell Pollard’s lyrics capture the style of the past while feeling as fresh as today. Classic sounds make for a classic album, which is precisely what Ghost Notes is. – Billboard

with:
The Parson Red Heads || Listen
Two Sheds || Listen

Plus Club Underground Resident DJs spinning all night!

Save Money when you order tickets by mobile phone
text ghostnotes to 467467

8pm / $10 / 18+

Sunday 02.22.09: PART TIME PUNKS – ARTHUR RUSSELL TRIBUTE NITE w/covers by HECUBA + JULIA HOLTER (AND FRIENDS) @ echo

With:
Hecuba || Listen
Julia Holter

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Sunday 02.15.09: PART TIME PUNKS – SMITHS / MORRISSEY NITE @ echo

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Sunday 02.08.09: PART TIME PUNKS with HUNGRY GHOST / SAD HORSE @ echo

with:
Hungry Ghost (Sarah Lund from UNWOUND’s new band)
Sad Horse

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Sunday 02.01.09: PART TIME PUNKS – Cure Tribute Nite @ echo

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Saturday 02.28.09: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Saturday 02.21.09: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Saturday 02.14.09: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Saturday 02.07.09: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Thursday 02.19.09: RESPECT with AK1200 / SCOOBA BOXMON B2B NOTATION / MC QUESTIONMARK @ echoplex

with:
AK1200 (POTD, Project51,Riddim Recs –Orlando FL)
SCOOBA (Respect)
BOXMON b2b NOTATION
MC QUESTIONMARK

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

FMI: Respect on Myspace

10pm / $5 b4 11pm, $10 after / 21+

Thursday 02.12.09: RESPECT – Classic Jungle Session with HERETIC / ESASSIN / CASSIEN / CLUTCH / DYER MC @ echoplex

-Classic Jungle Session-

with:
HERETIC (Rudebwoy Plastic)
ESASSIN (Sound Sphere Recs)
CASSIEN (Legend, NY)
CLUTCH (Respect)
DYER MC

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

FMI: Respect on Myspace

10pm / $5 b4 11pm, $10 after / 21+

Thursday 02.05.09: RESPECT with SKYNET / NOFACE B2B DRONE / KELLY D @ echo

with:
SKYNET (Nvison, Discrete, Skynet Recs. UK)
NOFACE B2B DRONE (Respect)
KELLY D (Rubik, Shift Recs)

FMI: Respect on Myspace

10pm / $5 b4 11pm, $10 after / 21+

Saturday 02.07.09: BOOTIE LA @ echoplex

BOOTIE LA
LA’s monthly mashup bootleg party

Live at 11 PM, from San Francisco, the world’s only mashup rock band:
SMASH-UP DERBY

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

Special performance from Bootie LA dance troupe:
R.A.I.D. (Random Acts of Irreverent Dance)

Hoop dancing by:
HOOPATRON

This month, live on stage at 11 PM, Bootie LA is proud to present the return of Smash-Up Derby, the world’s only mashup rock band. Since 2003, Smash-Up Derby has been wowing audiences across the country with their clever musical hybrids, such as “Smell Like Billie Jean” (Michael Jackson vs. Nirvana), “Girls Just Want Bloody Sunday” (Cyndi Lauper vs. U2), and “Tricky Sandman” (Run-DMC vs. Metallica). Fronted by Bootie’s own DJ Adrian, Smash-Up Derby is the house band at the original Bootie in San Francisco, where they custom create a new mashup to play at every party. Tonight, the band will be doing a special LA set of their best-loved mashups — and they’ll be joined on stage by Bootie LA’s dance troupe R.A.I.D., along with hoop dancer Hoopatron.

Launched in 2003, Bootie was the first club night in the United States dedicated solely to the burgeoning artform of the bootleg mashup — and is now the biggest mashup event in the world, with monthly parties in six cities on two continents. 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!

Resident DJs Adrian, Mysterious D, and Paul V. keep your brain guessing and body dancing with creative song combinations, celebrating — and satirizing — the many different forms of music. Bootie showcases the best in mashup productions from around the globe and delivers them on the dance floor … because one song at a time just isn’t enough!

FREE Bootie CDs to the first 75 people through the door!

FMI: http://www.BootieLA.com

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

Tuesday 02.03.09: Echo & Aquarium Drunkard present THE FRUIT BATS / SERA CAHOONE / LUKE TOP @ echo

The Fruit Bats || Listen || MP3

Eric Johnson has been making experimental and pop-inflected folk-rock with increasing compositional and thematic complexity since Califone/Perishable Records founders Tim Rutili and Ben Massarella prompted him to explore his craft in the mid-90s. Johnson’s recordings, enriched by contributions from an ever-revolving cast of Chicagoan characters (the current lineup includes I Rowboat’s Dan Strack and percussionist John Byce) used a melancholy hand to touch on love and the human experience on 2001’s Perishable debut, Echolocation, and 2003’s Sub Pop-released Mouthfuls. Around the release of Mouthfuls, Harp magazine described the Fruits Bats as residing somewhere on a continuum between Califone and The Shins, combining, ”…the latter’s widescreen vision with the former’s melodic knack to create something at once familiar and new.” After the years of extensive touring that followed, including stints with Modest Mouse, The Shins and Iron & Wine, as well as a handful of Wilco opening slots, Johnson returned to the drawing board with distinctly darker intent. “I was going to write this dark bummer record with shades of optimism, but my life started getting better,” he explains. The result of much soul-searching, Spelled in Bones is truly Johnson’s enlightened Romantic opus in the 18th century English literary sense of the term. With an emphasis on the “bigger picture” of life as it relates to nature’s organic relationship to man (“Legs of Bees”, “Spelled in Bones”), and irrational, spontaneous moments of beauty and rebirth (“Every Day That We Wake Up It’s A Beautiful Day”), Spelled in Bones proffers warm, thoughtful, bittersweet pop that’s as hopeful as it is curious.

with:
Sera Cahoone
Luke Top

Save Money when you order tickets by mobile phone
text Mouthful to 467467

8:30pm / $12 advance, $15 day of show / 18+

Friday 02.06.09: F Yeah presents F**KED UP / MIKA MIKO / UNDERGROUND RAILROAD TO CANDYLAND / TRASH TALK @ echoplex

F*cked Up || Listen || Watch

Quick: Name one hardcore punk album from the past 10 years—hell, make that ever—that opens with a lilting flute solo followed by a chorus of electric guitars so dense, pealing, and overtone-rich, they could make minimalist-rock architect Rhys Chatham’s neck hair stand on end. That’s just the first of many moments on Fucked Up’s second full-length where the Canadian band pushes hardcore beyond traditionally accepted limits of artfulness. The rest of The Chemistry Of Common Life heads even further into left field, often with staggering results: Neu!-esque motorik grooves, philosophically dense lyrics about the birth/death cycle, up to 70 simultaneous guitar tracks, and waves of Eastern percussion and melody, all powering 11 hugely textured songs that still hit as hard as a 90-second Negative Approach jam. While it’s offset on a few songs by “clean” female vocals, Damian Abraham’s glass-gargling roar remains the primary source of Fucked Up’s visceral energy. From this point on, it’ll be more exciting to see how much farther beyond gut-level the band is willing to go. – The Onion AV Club

with:
Mika Miko
Underground Railroad to Candyland
Trash Talk

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

7:30pm / $13 / all ages

Wednesday 02.25.09: DUB CLUB with TONY SCREW AKA DOWNBEAT THE RULER @ 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

9pm / $10 / 21+

Wednesday 02.18.09: 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

9pm / $5 / 21+

Wednesday 02.11.09: DUB CLUB presents THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS @ echoplex

The Mighty Diamonds

The Mighty Diamonds, Donald “Tabby” Shaw, Fitzroy ”Bunny” Simpson and Lloyd “ Judge” Ferguson formed in 1969 in the Trenchtown area of Kingston, Jamaica and for the past 39 years have been entertaining and educating the world with their sweet harmonies and conscious lyrics.

They quickly became known as the young group with the Motown sound with their soulful harmonies and polished performances. They first hit singles “ Country Living” and “ Hey Girl” were recorded on the Channel One label. Their debut album “ Right Time”, released on the Virgin has become a classic. This is an album that belongs in every serious reggae collection. “ Right Time’ is probably their most requested song when they perform.

“ Pass the Kouchie” also became an international hit when first released and then again when it was covered by the “ Musical Youth” and released as “Pass the Dutchie”

Tabby, Bunny and Judge have produced over 45 albums in their long career and it would be hard to select just one album as a favorite but if I were asked to pick the definite Mighty Diamonds album I would have to say “ Deeper Roots”. This album proves that the Mighty Diamonds are truly the best in the business.

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

Save Money when you order tickets by mobile phone
text jahjah to 467467

9pm / $10 advance, $15 day of show / 21+

Wednesday 02.04.09: 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

9pm / $5 / 21+

Friday 02.13.09: Echo & Club Underground present – THE SOFT PACK (Formerly The Muslims) / TIJUANA PANTHERS @ echo

The Soft Pack || Watch

Not too long ago we told you the Muslims changed their name to the Soft Pack. That’s true enough and was likely a good move because now folks can actually concentrate on the music, but it doesn’t change the San Diego quartet’s BTW status. In fact, proving themselves quite literally a Band To Watch, the guys stopped by the Decomposed studios to offer a stripped-down take on their spare and somehow cuddly Strokes-y, Heartbreakers/Voidoids-inspired garage punk. It’s interesting hearing vocalist Matt Lamkin deliver those laid-back, playfully nihilistic lines (“I’ve got news for you / Yes, I’ve got news for you / I don’t owe anything to you”) over acoustic guitars and upright bass. He’s even more liike a preppy Iggy Pop than usual. When we initially wrote about the Soft Pack, we mentioned their Velvet Underground-style detachment: At Decomposed, they add VU-style standup drums to that insularity. We’d also brought up the Replacements. You get less of that here sonically, but it’s hard to deny the early Westerberg/T. Stinson bedhead. The band is always spare, but these takes on “Call It A Day” and “Extinction” along with a cover of Tijuana Panthers’ “Redheaded Girl” add an especial concision. – Stereogum

with:
Tijuana Panthers

Plus Resident Club Underground DJs Spinning all night!

8:30pm / $8 / 18+

Wednesday 02.04.09: THE SOFT PACK (Formerly The Muslims) / CROCODILES @ echo

The Soft Pack || Watch

Not too long ago we told you the Muslims changed their name to the Soft Pack. That’s true enough and was likely a good move because now folks can actually concentrate on the music, but it doesn’t change the San Diego quartet’s BTW status. In fact, proving themselves quite literally a Band To Watch, the guys stopped by the Decomposed studios to offer a stripped-down take on their spare and somehow cuddly Strokes-y, Heartbreakers/Voidoids-inspired garage punk. It’s interesting hearing vocalist Matt Lamkin deliver those laid-back, playfully nihilistic lines (“I’ve got news for you / Yes, I’ve got news for you / I don’t owe anything to you”) over acoustic guitars and upright bass. He’s even more liike a preppy Iggy Pop than usual. When we initially wrote about the Soft Pack, we mentioned their Velvet Underground-style detachment: At Decomposed, they add VU-style standup drums to that insularity. We’d also brought up the Replacements. You get less of that here sonically, but it’s hard to deny the early Westerberg/T. Stinson bedhead. The band is always spare, but these takes on “Call It A Day” and “Extinction” along with a cover of Tijuana Panthers’ “Redheaded Girl” add an especial concision. – Stereogum

with:
Crocodiles

7:30pm / $8 / all ages

Saturday 02.14.09: YO MAJESTY / NATALIE ” THE FLOACIST” STEWART @ echoplex

Yo Majesty || Watch

Starting with “Fucked Up,” a threatening little restraining order of a number, Jwl B. yells “You blame me for fuckin’ up your car, I sliced your tires and I ripped out your seats” over an out of tune, distorted guitar and a syrupy beat. An exhausting rant of a song, fortunately they change gears and tone down the animosity here and there to keep from burning out listeners. “Leather Jacket” shows the girls’ silly side as they diss a fashion flawed hipster, and “Night Riders” strikes a political chord by tackling the issues of racism and drug abuse without ever sounding overly preachy. But no one tunes in to hear Yo Majesty wax on a provocative level, and they’re wise to this. Dancefloor fun is the cornerstone of the record, and the primary lesson to be learned is that there’s nothing wrong with grindin’ and shakin’. Big bottom crunk singles “Club Action,” “Party Hearty,” and “Booty Klap” feature Southern-style tongue twisters spat at a pace that would feel fitting in an 8Ball & MJG, Mystikal, and Twista freestyle session. Apt wordsmiths, they have blistering lyrical chops for women or men, and their beat selections are an energetic combination of hot Miami Bass and chilly 8-bit architecture that sounds both futuristic and derivative of old school. Think Spank Rock vs. J.J. Fad, Peaches tag-teaming with Luke Campbell, or DJ Assault against Salt-N-Pepa in a steel cage match. No, make that a mud-wrestling match. – All Music Guide

with:
Natalie “The Floacist” Stewart

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

Save Money when you order tickets by mobile phone
text Booty to 467467

9pm / $12 advance, $14 day of show / 18+

Monday 02.02.09: NIGHTMARES ON WAX @ echoplex

Nightmares on Wax || Listen

Nightmares on Wax is the brainchild of British producer George Evelyn, a former DJ and B-boy who made a successful crossover into producing hip-hop and electronic soul records in the early ‘90s and still remains a force six albums later. Evelyn makes unpretentious, happy songs that are always free from R&B and rap clichés, with enough production detail to satisfy those that check the technique. Nightmares on Wax albums have gotten progressively more laid-back and chilled out. With stoner joints like “Still? Yes!” and the almost Caribbean smooth jazz riffs of “Calling,” this one is no exception, though songs like “Da Feelin” and “Hear in Colour” still have a lively enough tempo and bump for dancing. Definitely the loosest album in the artist’s catalog, “thought so…” has elegant little touches that make it feel casual and friendly, like the inclusion of behind-the-scenes conversational snippets during recording sessions that would normally be edited out. – Metromix

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

Save Money when you order tickets by mobile phone
text Elevation to 467467

8pm / $18 advance, $20 day of show / 18+

Thursday 02.19.09: DUNCAN SHEIK with Lauren Pritchard / HOLLY BROOK @ Echoplex

Duncan Sheik || Listen

In addition to writing the music for the Broadway musical hit Spring Awakening, Grammy nominated singer–songwriter Duncan Sheik is collaborating with Playwright Steven Sater on The Nightingale, a musical based on the Hans Christian Andersen classic which premiered during the 26th annual O’Neill Music Theater Conference. Sheik has composed original music for the Public Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park production of Twelfth Night and for The Golden Rooms of Nero, which opened at the Magic Theater in San Francisco earlier this year. His self-titled debut album on Atlantic Records, was an enormous popular and critical success and spent 30 weeks on the Billboard 200. Other albums include Humming, Daylight, Phantom Moon (Nonesuch Records) with lyrics by Steven Sater and his latest, White Limousine (Rounder Records),Duncan’s songs have appeared in many Film Soundtracks including Great Expectations, The Saint, Teaching Mrs. Tingle, Three to Tango, What a Girl Wants, Transamerica and Amazing Grace (a documentary about the late Jeff Buckley).

The performance will feature songs from his forthcoming CD/theatre project, “Whisper House”, as well as “Spring Awakening” and his earlier recorded work. Sitting in on the tour will be Lauren Pritchard who played Ilse in the Broadway production of “Spring Awakening”.

plus:
Holly Brook

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

7pm / $37.50 / all ages