Wednesday 07.01.09: A Benefit for The Pablove Foundation- EULOGIES / BAD VEINS / AVI BUFFALO / A DECENT ANIMAL @ echo

Eulogies || Listen || Watch

Can a band that names its debut album Eulogies be taken at face value? The group must be playing their self-reflexive card out of the gate, starting at the end and working their way backwards, or otherwise signaling the poetic finish of something large, with a fresh start to boot, right? Not necessarily, especially if the band itself is named Eulogies. Bandleader Peter Walker’s songs draw inspiration from the literal meaning of the term, dealing variously with despair and regret, and were crafted during a 2006 tour on which he opened for Starsailor; to his credit, Walker plays his songs much closer to the vest than his former tourmates. Eulogies simmers with emotion and brims with understated hooks, registering nearest the sensible introspection of Wheat’s Hope and Adams, Nada Surf’s The Weight is a Gift, or Death Cab for Cutie’s Transatlanticism.

Not so much clenched teeth as effectively restrained power-pop passion, Eulogies’ most expressive moments– the chugging chorus of “Running in the Rain”, the opening guitar fanfare from “Useless Amends”, the temporarily wanky solo from “Life Boat”– are quickly subsumed to calmer tones, most often in the form of shadowy electric guitar and Walker’s whispery pleas. Matters are occasionally expanded, but at the lyrical level: “Under the Knife” elevates denial to universal proportions, questioning the impact of “Those who died for us to live/ On false foundations,” before reaching a fulfilling, yet discreet, refrain. “Can’t Relate” overcomes the occasional overwrought lyric (“We’re all swimming in the bottles of our own accord”) with one of the record’s most effective productions, an organ-laced acoustic brood. Opener “One Man” has a muted, Ric Ocasek-style guitar line weaving throughout, and expands into a satisfying, but self-possessed chorus. – Pitchfork

With:
Bad Veins || Listen
Avi Buffalo
A Decent Animal || Listen

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

Wednesday 07.01.09: 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+

Thursday 07.02.09: KROQ LOCALS ONLY presents “Kick Out The Clots” – Benefit for Jennifer Tefft with SHE WANTS REVENGE / LADIES CHOIR / GREAT NOTHERN AND MORE @ echoplex

with:
She Wants Revenge || Listen || Watch
Moving Units || Listen (DJ SET)
Dead Meadow || Listen
LA Ladies Choir (with Becky Stark, Eleni Mandell & more)
Great Northern || Listen
The Honorary Title (solo set)
Rocco DeLuca || Listen
Nico Stai
Useless Keys || Listen

DJ sets from Kevin Bronson, Dia and Sylvia

Enter at Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

7pm / $25 / 18+

Thursday 07.02.09: AMAZING BABY / BAND OF SKULLS / DAZZLER @ Hammer Museum

Amazing Baby || Listen
Band of Skulls || Listen
Dazzler || Listen

Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024

8pm / FREE / all ages

Friday 07.03.09: Club Underground, Hang The DJs, Transistor & Cafe Bleu present COME TOGETHER @ echoplex & echo

4 of your favorite indie clubs come together for 1 massive event!

with all the original DJs from all the clubs:
Chris B
Dia
Larry G
Mark
Clifton
Dorian
Alex
Scarlett
Maurice De La Falaise

spinning Indie * UK Pop * 60s * Soul * Mod * Shoegaze

enter at Echo
1822 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

9pm / $10 before 10:30pm with flyer, $15 after / 18+

Saturday 07.04.09: BOOTIE LA @ echoplex

BOOTIE on the 4th OF JULY!
LA’s monthly mashup bootleg party

Mashup fireworks with DJs:
DJ PAUL V.
DJ SHYBOY

Bootie LA’s resident dance crew:
R.A.I.D. (Random Acts of Irreverent Dance)

Free Bootie mashup CDs for the first 75 people!

Bootie celebrates the 4th of July, bootleg-style! This month, resident DJ Paul V., along with special guest DJ Shyboy, bring the mashup fireworks to the dance floor. Bootie’s 15-person dance crew R.A.I.D. (Random Acts of Irreverent Dance) will hit the Echoplex stage around midnight in their trademark gold suits, ready to do a special Independence Day performance! Don’t miss it!

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 eight cities on three 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!

Bootie’s resident DJs keep your brain guessing and body dancing with creative song combinations, celebrating — and satirizing — the many different forms of music. Resident dance crew R.A.I.D. (Random Acts of Irreverent Dance) performs a mashed-up dance number nearly every month. 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!

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

FMI: http://www.BootieLA.com

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

Saturday 07.04.09: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 07.05.09: PART TIME PUNKS with TALL HANDS / TIJUANA PANTHERS @ echo

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

With:
Tall Hands || Listen
Tijuana Panthers

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Monday 07.06.09: Monday night Residency – JAPANESE MOTORS / MY PET SADDLE / AUDACITY / GESTAPO KHAZI @ echo

Japanese Motors || Watch

Japanese Motors are the most exciting band to emerge from Orange County since the heyday of Social Distortion and TSOL. Hailing from Costa Mesa, the Japanese Motors are made up by main vocalist Alex Knost, guitarist Nolan Hall, bassist Daniel Michicoff, and drummer Andrew Atkinson, the band is known around Southern California for the insane, all-night blowouts they put on as much as for the driving, raucous garage pop they set the partying to.

Rather than fight the influence of their surroundings like so many of their So Cal contemporaries, Japanese Motors have channeled it into their music, making tunes every bit as sun-baked and laid-back as their coastal environs and rife with positive imagery. “Most bands from here are trying to sound like they’re from London or New York,” Nolan says. “We embrace where we’re from.”

With:
Audacity || Listen
My Pet Saddle
Gestapo Khazi

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Tuesday 07.07.09: KITTY, DAISY, & LEWIS / LE SWITCH / TANDEMORO @ echo

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis || Watch

Multi-instrumentalists Kitty Daisy & Lewis play guitar, piano, banjo, lap steel guitar, harmonica, double bass, ukulele, trombone and accordion between them. Their debut album was recorded in glorious, utterly digital-free analogue by Lewis and his father Graeme in their home studio in Kentish Town. A stickler for living and breathing the music they play and talk so passionately about, Lewis DJs, collects and even cuts his own 78rpm records himself when he isn’t recording with his sisters. This obsessive passion for the vintage music that inspires their performances led to their compilation ‘A – Z of Kitty, Daisy & Lewis – The Roots Of Rock n Roll’ being named one of The Guardian’s 2007 ‘Albums Of The Year – 5/5′.

No dry exercise in musical luddism, their 2008 debut album swings with the passion, intensity and sheer exuberant joie de vivre that makes their live shows one of the UK gig circuit’s greatest and most innocent pleasures. The album is a mixture of the covers their dad used to sing to them when they were children, like ‘Going Up The Country’ – a perfectly rounded summer holiday feel-good jam, full of harmonica solos, handclaps and lyrics about leaving the city smog for fairer country hills – together with new material like the heart torn ‘Buggin’ Blues’, written by Lewis and inspired by the great late Otis Spann (Chess Records) and latest single ‘(Baby) Hold Me Tight’, written by Kitty and featuring Skatalites contemporary Eddy ‘Tan Tan’ Thornton. Kitty Daisy & Lewis’ second artist album is due in 2010. – Sunday Best

with:
Le Switch || Listen
Tandemoro || Listen

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

Wednesday 07.08.09: Myspace Records presents ROOTBEER / U-N-I / BOOMBOX NINJAS @ echo

Rootbeer || Watch

The simple shortcut to that Rootbeer descriptive word puzzle could be something like “MGMT injected with some N.E.R.D and A Tribe Called Quest”. As clearly evident in their lyrics and style, Flynn Adam and Pigeon John are unapologetic purveyors of popular culture. Rather than making an escape attempt on this debut to something that was some subtle artistic departure from the Lost Angels-flavored West Coast underground laid back rap that raised them, the duo has grown more apt to fully open their arms and embrace a vast array of what is relative to their own contemporary culture consumption today.

With an even more upped-tempo vocal cadence dancing on top of beatscapes that awaken even the hippest of skeptics, the music will make you jump up like a chimpanzee. An unbelievably charismatic live show, mixed with the most infectious hooks you’ve wrapped your ears around in quite some time, Rootbeer slaps a smile on your face that you simply can’t contain. Like some of the lyrics remind you: “It feels so good, feels so great, feels so wonderful,” so tune in and dig it!

with:
U-N-I || Listen
Boombox Ninjas

8pm / FREE / all ages

Wednesday 07.08.09: 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+

Thursday 07.09.09: STEVE WYNN & THE MIRACLE THREE / THE URINALS @ echo

Steve Wynn & The Miracle Three || Listen || Watch

For fans of the seminal LA post-punk band, Medicine Show is a pretty polarizing record. Coming off the overwhelming enthusiasm for the band’s debut album, Days of Wine & Roses, the follow-up was a departure, to say the least. Wynn’s voice was put way out front by Medicine Show producer Sandy Pearlman (best known for his work with Blue Oyster Cult, and ruining the Clash’s sophomore record, Give ‘Em Enough Rope). Gone was bassist/future Opal ingenue Kendra Smith. And unlike Chris D’s hands-off approach on Wine & Roses, Pearlman pushed Wynn further to the center — and baffled at least one adolescent Midwesterner eager to hear a follow-up to “Halloween” and “Too Little, Too Late” instead of a different, more in-your-face brand of guitar jamming.
Does Medicine Show hold up after a quarter-century? We don’t know; we admittedly haven’t listened to it in 24 years and 11 months. But West Coast Sound is nothing if not open-minded, and is very curious to find out. (It’s worth noting that Wynn performed The Days of Wine and Roses in its entirety in LA in 2001. This is a natural follow-up.)

“”Medicine Show’ is the weirdest, most idiosyncratic, nastiest, funniest and most revealing record the Dream Syndicate ever made,” wrote Wynn in the liner notes from Medicine Show’s 1991 reissue — and reprinted in the press release. “It’s also my favorite.”

Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3 perform Medicine Show at the Echo on July 9. – LA Weekly

With:
The Urinals

8pm / $10 / 18+

Thursday 07.09.09: DUSTY RHODES AND THE RIVER BAND / THESE UNITED STATES / OLIN AND THE MOON @ echoplex

Dusty Rhodes and The River Band || Listen || Watch

Difficult to classify, but easy to like, Dusty Rhodes and his merry clan are a refreshing antidote to the world of easy-to-label pop, rock and indie groups. This, their second full-length album, brings songs steeped in multiple influences from jazz and blues, to country and classic rock‘n’roll. Thanks to three distinct vocalists, a classically trained fiddler, and a hyperactive keyboard frontman, it really works. High-energy, experimental fun. – Daily Express

with:
These United States || Listen
Olin & The Moon

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

8pm / $10 / 18+

Friday 07.10.09: Echo & Club Underground present THE RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE / JONNY TAYLOR @ echo

The Rural Alberta Advantage || Listen

The next band up, The Rural Alberta Advantage, were a complete surprise. I had never come across the name, and didn’t bother tracking down any songs beforehand; the eMusic honcho who introduced them said we were “in for a treat,” and it turns out he was right. The Canadian trio (“rural Alberta” isn’t just a clever name, apparently) makes a sort of rustic, scorched-earth Americana not unlike Centro-Matic, though far heavier on the percussion—and way livelier, thanks to the antics of Manic Pixie Indie Girl Amy Cole, who spent most of the set bouncing from place to place, banging on tambourines, whipping out the occasional glockenspiel solo, and adding the cooling undercurrents to singer Paul Banwatt’s ragged ruminations. Things started a bit slow with more run-of-the-mill country-ish numbers, but they won me over the minute Banwatt ended a song by beating on his acoustic guitar, then sheepishly pronouncing that it now had “a big SXSW crack in it.” (I feel like I’ve been on SXSW crack for a couple days now.) At set’s end, the three of them filed off stage into the middle of the aisle to play “Good Night” acoustically, which they said they’d always wanted to perform in a church. The sparse, mournful number was ridiculously quiet and intimate but still filled up the chapel—really, you could have heard a proverbial pin drop—and you could even see faces starting to mist; it was one of those “special” concert moments that are far too rare these days, and it’s safe to say RAA won quite a few new fans in that moment. – The Onion AV Club

with:
Jonny Taylor

8:30pm / $8 Advance, $10 day of show / 18+

Friday 07.10.09: SPACE ISLAND @ echoplex

Space Island || Myspace || More Info

With:
VibeSquaD
Knowa Knowone
Henry Strange

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

9pm / 21+

Saturday 07.11.09: SATURDAYS OFF THE 405 with MAS EXITOS / DOMINGO SIETE @ the getty center

Mas Exitos (DJ Collective)

Fridays Off the 405 are now Saturdays Off the 405! The free outdoor performance series is back on Saturday nights this summer with a lively mix of today’s most exciting emerging bands and DJ sets to open and close the night. And starting this summer, parking is free at the Getty Center on Saturdays after 5pm.

Mas Exitos, the legendary twice-a-month event held at the Verdugo Bar in Highland Park, comes to the Getty! The DJ collective—featuring Lengua, Hoseh, Ganas, and Enorbito—unfold their international music selections and transform the Museum Courtyard into a hot spot south of the border.

Think of it as a National Geographic documentary on sound that takes you from the Andes of Peru to the streets of Mexico City to the East Side of L.A.—cumbias, low-rider music, tropicalia, funky jazz oddities, y más. Listen as the crew plays their heritage on turntables.

With:
DJ Hoseh
DJ Lengua
DJ Exorbito
DJ Ganas
Domingo Siete || Listen

Getty Center Courtyard
1200 Getty Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90049

6pm / FREE / all ages

Saturday 07.11.09: DRAGSTRIP 66 @ echoplex

Drag is never required – but it’s gets you $5 Admission all night!
___________________________________________________

Dragstrip 66 is LA’s longest running, underground dance club.
January 2009 marked its 16th Anniversary, and the club now
happens on the 2nd Saturday of the month, quarterly at The Echoplex.

Each Dragstrip has a different theme as a touchstone to inspire
its patrons to dress in any form of drag, masquerade, or self-expression.
The crowd is a totally fun, friendly mix of gay, straight, bi, and in-between!

So come on – get your kicks, at Dragstrip 66!

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

FMI:
http://www.dragstrip66.com/
Dragstrip 66 on Myspace
Dragstrip 66 on Facebook

9pm / $15 / 21+

Saturday 07.11.09: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 07.12.09: ONEIDA / AMPS FOR CHRIST / CLIP’D BEAKS @ echo

Oneida || Listen || Watch

Oneida are sneaky. Without most people realizing it, they somehow crept into being one of the best bands out there around the time of 2004’s Secret Wars, an album so rich and eventful and simultaneously weird and rocking that even the band which made it sometimes feels recently like they’ve been playing catch-up. The Wedding and Happy New Year both took their eternally wandering muse in a more overtly psychedelic direction, and found the band in fine form. Now they’re going back. But to what? The flippant answer might be to the light light light light light light, at least if you’ve heard their exquisitely punishing 2002 album Each One Teach One and more specifically the opening fourteen-minute pummel, “Sheets of Easter” (the first song to really build on what Spacemen 3 did with “Suicide”). Preteen Weaponry is one 39-minute composition in three parts, not as unrelenting as “Sheets of Easter” or its companion “Antidotes” were, but certainly largely akin to them. The relative mellowness of the band’s last few albums appears to have rubbed off onto this one, although the howling feedback as part one of “Preteen Weaponry” opens might throw you off a bit. As the music toys around with Indian modalities and vaguely “tribal”-sounding drum thump, even as it remains almost fiercely repetitive, you might start thinking of Amon Duul II or Ash Ra Tempel, which is fair. Another good point of comparison might be the sui generis Australian trio The Necks.

The result goes all over the place as much as any ruthlessly focused track can; the second part is certainly much less busy, and the third movement with its odd tones and gnashing drums begins to sound a bit like Two Lone Swordsmen’s memorably gonzo remix of Spiritualized’s “Come Together,” but if you’re not paying attention, you’re almost certain not to notice when the track index changes. This is one long journey, but it’s a remarkably consistent one (it’s interesting to note they’re apparently playing the album live, as you wonder how strictly they follow the text when replicating it), for better and for worse. It makes Preteen Weaponry a very hate-it-or-love-it effort, although Krautrock/comische music/whatever exactly you want to try calling this thing is rare and outré enough that it shouldn’t be very hard to know if you’re going to like it. If you’re into this particular form of mind expansion, Oneida can be trusted; if not, it doesn’t really matter how good they are. - Popmatters

With:
Amps for Christ || Listen
Clip’d Beaks

1pm / $8adv; $10dos / all ages

Sunday 07.12.09: Grand Ole Echo with GINA VILLALOBOS (CD RELEASE PARTY) @ echo

Gina Villalobos || Listen

5:00pm / FREE / All Ages

Sunday 07.12.09: PART TIME PUNKS with MAGIC BULLETS / THE SUMMER CATS / THE TARTANS @ echo

All-Indiepop/Twee Nite!

With:
Magic Bullets || Listen
The Summer Cats
The Tartans

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Monday 07.13.09: Monday Night Residency – JAPANESE MOTORS / DIRT DRESS / UV LIGHTS / CORREATOWN @ echo

Japanese Motors || Watch

Japanese Motors are the most exciting band to emerge from Orange County since the heyday of Social Distortion and TSOL. Hailing from Costa Mesa, the Japanese Motors are made up by main vocalist Alex Knost, guitarist Nolan Hall, bassist Daniel Michicoff, and drummer Andrew Atkinson, the band is known around Southern California for the insane, all-night blowouts they put on as much as for the driving, raucous garage pop they set the partying to.

Rather than fight the influence of their surroundings like so many of their So Cal contemporaries, Japanese Motors have channeled it into their music, making tunes every bit as sun-baked and laid-back as their coastal environs and rife with positive imagery. “Most bands from here are trying to sound like they’re from London or New York,” Nolan says. “We embrace where we’re from.”

With:
Dirt Dress || Listen
UV Lights
Correatown || Listen

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Tuesday 07.14.09: THE DATSUNS / SPIRIT VINE / SEASONS @ echo

The Datsuns || Listen || Watch

On the one hand, this is simply rock ‘n’ roll at its primal best: lots of loud guitars, tons of “whoa whoa” and “hey hey” choruses and new drummer Ben Cole bashing out a beat that’s all fury and speed. But there’s an underlying complexity here as well. “Your Bones” is epic, meshing the guitar lines of classic Zeppelin with the moody, psychedelic tinge of Jane’s Addiction. And the keyboard-slanted “Hey! Paranoid People” aligns itself closer to the post-punk goofiness of Devo. Nothing startlingly new here, but proof that using boisterous, three-chord rock as your foundation can still bring about some surprising results. – Metromix

With:
Spirit Vine || Listen
Seasons || Listen

8:30pm / $10adv; $12dos / 18+

Wednesday 07.15.09: FOL CHEN / 60 WATT KID @ pershing square

Fol Chen || Listen || Watch

“We are cryptic and joyful and we would like you to dance,” claim the enigmatic Fol Chen, likening themselves to the mysterious black monolith on the cover of Zep’s Presence – a complete red herring as regards the group’s musical approach, which favours synths and strings rather than rock and riffs.

One aspect they do share with the former rock gods is a careless attitude to personal responsibility, with the protagonist of “Cable TV” trying to lure the object of her affections to some dubious motel, while the singer of “You and Your Sister in Jericho” offers her temptations more bluntly: “Fuck your friends, they don’t care/ Smoke too much, and dye your hair,” she murmurs enticingly, while guitar, pedal steel and horns perform a slow, slurred waltz over an enervated drum-machine pulse, before it all dissolves into a blur of drums and thunderous distortion. It’s impossible to pin the sextet down to a specific area of the musical map: one moment they create a kind of quirky electro-pop, as on the funky “No Wedding Cake”, but elsewhere, disparate elements – lumbering, brusque drums; lap steel; prepared-piano; calliope-textured synth lines; various horns – are mingled in intriguing combinations that avoid definition. – The Independent UK

With:
60 Watt Kid || Listen

Pershing Square
532 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013

7pm / FREE / All ages

Wednesday 07.15.09: BLACKBIRD AND THE FEATHERED PEOPLE / SHARON TEMPLE @ echo

Blackbird and the Feathered People || Watch

“The Feathered People began as a poem. Essentially it was about these mystical magical people who are all on journeys from all throughout the universe. Some of them stopped off on earth to have a human experience, run in the sun, fall love, feel pain, swim in the ocean…one day, though, they will leave this plane and go home again…wherever that is.” This is the explanation given to me by Blackbird on his current project ‘The Feathered People’.

In 2007, still searching to define his sound and looking to start playing more live shows, he ran into some longtime friends (who also just happen to be named after birds) Sparrow (bass) and Dove (drums). Sparrow and Blackbird have been friends since their teens and have crossed paths many times over the years…each time they meet talking about working together but busy with other projects. Dove has worked with Sparrow on and off for years. The three of them have had individual paths and journeys and have finally come together to form The Feathered People. Their sheer power as a rock trio shines through most at live shows, where the hard thump-thump of the driving bass lines and virtuosity of Sparrow, the drums’ pounding beats and machine-like precision, accentuated by the concentrated look on Doves’ face, and then Blackbird smoothly slinking around (delivering his message, looking you in the eye, challenging you to feel the music), can be felt throughout the room. – CitizenLA

with:
Sharon Temple

8:30pm / $7 / 18+

Wednesday 07.15.09: DUB CLUB presents TRINITY / TIPPA LEE + screening of the new Documentary Film RETURN OF THE RUB-A-DUB STYLE @ echoplex

TRINITY
with special guest Tippa Irie || Listen

backed by Echodelic Sound

plus a screening of the new documentary film
Return of the Rub-A-Dub Style
film starts at 9pm

check out the trailer for the film:

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

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

Thursday 07.16.09: Dub Frequency presents THE VERY BEST / RAINBOW ARABIA / BERSA DISCOS @ echoplex

The Very Best || Watch

It’s easy to be cynical about this process of easing Western listeners into Esau Mwamwaya’s music– RIYL Vampire Weekend, Ruby Suns, other English-language artists cribbing from African music– until you hear the music itself, and in particular the whole of he and Radioclit’s free mixtape, Are the Very Best. Once you get through the indie-guarded gates, Mwamwaya and Radioclit are open here to everything from South Africa’s marabi and kwaito music to Hans Zimmer scores to French and American hip-hop to Michael Jackson– and in most cases, it’s the tracks that lean furthest away from the familiar that work best. The regal “Sister Betina”, BLK JKS collaboration “Salota”, and Radioclit productions “Funa Funa” and “Kada Manja” are as immediately likable as the rest of the mix. And, frankly, much of the best-known source material here– “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”, the AiH backdrop on “Kamphopo”, the True Romance via Badlands theme on “Chikandi”, the loathsome Beatles song “Birthday”– is either simply a blueprint or sketch for other ideas, or is vastly improved by Mwamwaya’s treatments.

Mwamwaya’s cultural cross-section is no accident. Although he sings in his native Chichewa, he met Radioclit’s Etienne Tron when he sold the producer a used bike in a London junkshop. Despite that, Mwamwaya and Radioclit’s talents lie far beyond cultural fusion and curatorial skills: In short, they’ve created just about the most listenable and flat-out enjoyable record of the year– and one that happens to dovetail nicely with the urgency for and overdue embrace of morally guided globalism. – Pitchfork

With:
Rainbow Arabia || Listen
Bersa Discos

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

8:30pm / $13 Advance, $15 Day of Show / 18+

Thursday 07.16.09: LA (heart) SF with THE MONOLATORS / FRENCH MIAMI / THE FLYING TOURBILLON ORCHESTRA / KISSING COUSINS @ echo

The Monolators || Listen
French Miami
The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra || Listen
Kissing Cousins

Presented by Flavorpill / Radio Free Silver Lake / Indie Online Radio

8:30pm / $5 / 18+

Friday 07.17.09: THREE MILE PILOT / OPTIGANALLY YOURS @ echoplex

Three Mile Pilot || Listen

TMP was one of the most engaging and influential left-field bands in SD rock-roll; their progeny looks like Slint’s family tree, with the top branches occupied by international indie darlings Pinback and Black Heart Procession. Not bad for a bass, drum, and piano band. Of high school kids! Pall, Zack, and Tobias have grown up, and grown, and will share a stage for the first time in ten years. – San Diego Reader

with:
Optiganally Yours || Listen

@ Echoplex
enter at
1154 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90291

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

8pm / $14 advance, $16 day of show / 18+

Friday 07.17.09: The Echo & Club Underground present THE HAPPY HOLLOWS / THE VALLEY ARENA @ echo

The Happy Hollows || Listen || Watch

“The Happy Hollows is, put simply, transformative. That is, the young Los Angeles trio’s infectious and amorphous sound is one that immediately sticks upon first listen, evoking hints of bands that listeners remember not for the scene that launched them nor the trends of the era, but for the moment at which they first heard its music. Vocalist/guitarist Sarah Negahdari wields ominous riffs and finger-tapped arpeggios with skill reminiscent of Mary Timony of Helium while simultaneously singing and wailing like a hyper hybrid of Debbie Harry, Kim Deal and Karen O. Meanwhile, the agile rhythm section of Charles Mahoney (bass/vocals) and Chris Hernandez (drums) vault and lunge with precision.

The Happy Hollows’ raucous and irreverent noisy-pop sound is influenced by genres as disparate as 90’s college rock, Broadway show-tunes, garage punk, and 80’s pop. The band combines innovative song structures, surreal lyrics, and fiercely adept instrumentation to recreate reality into a jagged panorama of vibrant, kaleidoscopic collage. Listening to their music, one cannot help but see visions of a place oddly askew from the world we experience everyday, a parallel universe that is at once whimsical, demented, and ferocious. Among other things, the subjects of their tunes include labyrinths, counterfactual history, palindromes, the colors of the rainbow, time travel, mythical animals, and Tarot cards. On the group’s 2008 EP, Imaginary, Negahdari’s cherubic propensity for quizzical, playful lyrics and signature finger-tapping/finger picking guitar technique are readily apparent as the band quirkily straddles the fence between dissonant rock and art-pop. – Radio Exile

With:
The Valley Arena || Listen

8:30pm / $5 if 21 or over, $7 if under / 18+

Saturday 07.18.09: TILT & Binary present MEN / HEY WILLPOWER / DANCES WITH WHITE GIRLS

MEN

MEN is a Brooklyn-based band and art/performance collective that focuses on the energy of live performance and radical potential of dance music. MEN speaks to issues such as wartime economies, sexual compromise, and demanding liberties through lyrical content and an exciting stage show. The group began in 2007 as the DJ/production/remix team of LE TIGRE members JD Samson and Johanna Fateman. When the duo began to write new songs, it made sense to merge their efforts with JD’s other new project HIRSUTE. JD and Hirsute members Michael O’Neill (Princess, Ladybug Transistor) and Ginger Brooks Takahashi (LTTR, The Ballet) now comprise the core of MEN, with Johanna and artist Emily Roysdon contributing as writers, consultants, and producers.

with:
Dances with White Girls
Lexicondon
Hey Willpower
Flashmen
Killed By Synth
Short Circuit

9pm / $10 / 18+

Saturday 07.18.09: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 07.19.09: Grand Ole Echo with SYD STRAW / RICH MAHAN / THE UNLAWFUL KINGS / THE PREACHERS SON @ echo

Syd Straw
Rich Mahan
The Unlawful Kings

Back porch:
The Preachers Son

5:00pm / FREE / All Ages

Sunday 07.19.09: PART TIME PUNKS with PSYCHIC ILLS / INDIAN JEWELRY @ echo

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

With:
Psychic Ills || Listen
Indian Jewelry

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $10 / 18+

Monday 07.20.09: THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART / GIRLS / CHAMPAGNE SOCIALISTS @ echo

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart || Listen || MP3

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are irrepressibly light, a band at ease with melody and softness. On its excellent self-titled debut album, which was released last month on Slumberland, the band — which includes Mr. Berman, Mr. Feldman, the singer and keyboardist Peggy Wang and the bass player Alex Naidus — neatly processes a whole range of styles. There’s a mild hauteur drawn from new wave, a thickness derived from shoegaze-pop and a pulse passed down from dance-punk. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart might paint within the lines, but they do so with panache. – The NY Times

With:
Girls
Champagne Socialists

8:30pm / $12adv, $14 dos / All Ages

Monday 07.20.09: Monday Night Residency – JAPANESE MOTORS / THE GROWLERS / SWEATERS / GRAND ELEGANCE @ echoplex

Japanese Motors || Watch

Japanese Motors are the most exciting band to emerge from Orange County since the heyday of Social Distortion and TSOL. Hailing from Costa Mesa, the Japanese Motors are made up by main vocalist Alex Knost, guitarist Nolan Hall, bassist Daniel Michicoff, and drummer Andrew Atkinson, the band is known around Southern California for the insane, all-night blowouts they put on as much as for the driving, raucous garage pop they set the partying to.

Rather than fight the influence of their surroundings like so many of their So Cal contemporaries, Japanese Motors have channeled it into their music, making tunes every bit as sun-baked and laid-back as their coastal environs and rife with positive imagery. “Most bands from here are trying to sound like they’re from London or New York,” Nolan says. “We embrace where we’re from.”

With:
The Growlers || Listen
Sweaters
Grand Elegance

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

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Tuesday 07.21.09: MICACHU & THE SHAPES / TUNE YARDS / RACHEL GOODRICH @ echo

Micachu & The Shapes || Listen || Watch

Micachu and the Shapes can rest easy for now, however, since Jewellery turns out to be a thrilling pick ‘n’ mix of puckish pop nonsense that will absolutely charm your kecks off, hoovers and all. Winking broadly at myriad styles from grime to playground skiffle and corrosive noise with nary a bum note bared, in some ways it’s capricious and not exactly fully-formed, but you can’t help but admire how much of this record flat-out works. ‘Golden Phone”s a blinding tune showcasing Levi’s gruff cockney diction, pleasingly pitched midway between a leer and a rictus grin. And ‘Curly Teeth”s a moderately deranging racket that recalls Damon Albarn at his most stridently experimental.

Performed on a specially tuned guitar with a host of electronic glitches and gloops and seemingly held together with elastic bands and spit, Jewellery’s wonky pop architecture finds joy in sheer surrealist musical abstraction, as with ‘Golden Phone’’s lip-smacking lines: “love’s all around, yeah, but I don’t want none / time’s everywhere, yeah, but I don’t want none / gold in my hair, yeah, but I don’t want none / give me that nonsense sound and I’ll be back”.

Call that punk or even Dada if you like, it matters not. Micachu’s a rare talent seemingly heaven-sent to snatch bedroom pop from the ‘pit-sniffing dullards once more, and for that we have only to be thankful. – The Quietus

With:
Tune Yards || Listen
Rachel Goodrich

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

Wednesday 07.22.09: Spaceland Under The Stars with VOXHAUL BROADCAST / THE FRENCH SEMESTER @ pershing square

Voxhaul Broadcast || Watch

Outta the OC, Voxhaul Broadcast, flavored a whole lot like Cold War Kids and Kings of Leon, already moves with the poise of a well-embraced band, apparently settled comfortably in a working groove and enjoying their gig of life as successful rockers. Maybe they’ve had a look in a crystal ball. Let’s hope that forecast is accurate. The band’s general sound is psychedelic haze, heavy on sedative properties of dope or Robitussin, pavement inside your shoes when the wind’s gusting, or suspension in a vat of sticky warm molasses with your very special someone. I personally vote for the last of the three…an interesting dilemma that would take time to navigate. But I digress. Voxhaul Broadcast comes across wavy. Listening is satisfying at all levels of effort. From a nonchalant low-scale effort, the vibe is fuzzy with enough variation and effects to maintain the awareness of an interesting flow of appeasing music in the background. At a more engaged level, the song construction is far from lazy – each tune is spackled with hooks from great to small and doused with memorable, effective repetition. Lyrically, Voxhaul Broadcast’s songs call for an active stretch of the imagination: rather than feeding you the story, they ask you to make the story your own by connecting the dots and coloring in the background. – Luxury Wafers

With:
The French Semester || Listen

Pershing Square
532 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013

7pm / FREE / All ages

Wednesday 07.22.09: THE HOWLIES / THE BLACK HOLLIES / SWORDS OF FATIMA @ echo

The Howlies || Listen || Watch

Following the release of the EP Sea Level, Howlies full-length, Trippin’ with Howlies, hits the streets this January. These 12 tracks crackle with an electrified intensity that seems even more urgent when considering the album was apparently completed in just three days. Filled with garage rock gems and sinister surf rock, Trippin’ with Howlies is a non-stop assault of retro done right. Every track is a keeper, whether it’s the boastful swagger and Motown beat of “Howlies Sound,” the militaristic march through the sirens of songs past on “Angeline” (“Michelle my belle / I feel you may have run away / Maybelline could Chuck ever believe the things you’d say?”), the descending, “Paint it Black” riff on “Adaptation” or the humorous, but still reverent, ode to the ‘50s teen love ballad “Aluminum Baseball Bat”. Howlies’ faultless proficiency and obvious love of rock and roll with a vintage vibe is matched only by the band’s refusal to take anything too seriously (listen close for a last laugh!). But seriously, everyone needs to go Trippin’ with Howlies. – Popmatters

With:
The Black Hollies
The Swords of Fatima

8:30pm / $5 / 18+

Wednesday 07.22.09: DUB CLUB presents THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS Backed by YELLOW WALL DUB SQUAD Horn Section Mixed by SCIENTIST @ 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

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

Thursday 07.23.09: CASIOTONE FOR THE PAINFULLY ALONE / CONCERN / FORMER GHOSTS / SECOND TO SECOND @ echo

Casiotone For The Painfully Alone || Listen || Watch

Casiotone For The Painfully Alone succeeds in representing a sad, kindly eye watching over the tableau of the quotidienne, lending a poetic importance to the unwitnessed sadnesses of small lives lived in small towns. It’s telling that he’s recently covered Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born In The USA’ and ‘Philadelphia’, for although the interpretation is different, Ashworth clearly draws from the same sources of inspiration. Sometime you can see yourself in it, or someone you know. Or maybe it’s an album about strangers – the overly factual song titles suggest stories plucked from the pages of mid-American town newspapers. Miserablist alt-pop socio-musical anthropology, then? Maybe. But however you choose to analyse it, Casiotone Vs. Children is an evocative and involving listen, and a fittingly accomplished fifth album from Mr. Ashworth. – The Quietus

With:
Concern || Listen
Former Ghosts
Second to Second (Evan Slamka)

7:30pm / $8.00 / All Ages

Friday 07.24.09: Honoring The Legacy of Sky Sunlight Saxon of The Seeds with SPIRITS IN THE SKY / THE SEEDS / MIKE RANDLE & more @ echoplex

Sky Sunlight Saxon left a huge legacy of music but more than that he left a legacy of touching so many people in positive ways and that is the best legacy any of us could hope for …..

Sky Sunlight Saxon was fearless and he met every day with a newfound hope that peace and love could someday rule this world – that someday all wolves and dogs would be taken care of and loved and that all people would cease to eat God’s precious animals. He very deeply believed in YaHoWha and the teachings he learned from his spiritual Father and he spread that word to everyone he met. Many people began their own spiritual path after being witness to Sky’s determination that everyone understand that they are indeed spiritual beings trying on this human body and human ways but that one day we all will shed this body and move into our etheric body of light where we then will be unfettered and can continue our work to help mankind and the universe from the other side. Sky Sunlight Saxon now fully Sunlight Arelich Aquarian is free from the restraints of this world and his human vehicle and remains with us in spirit and in his music. ~Sabrina Sincerity Enchantment Saxon~

with:
SPIRITS IN THE SKY
feat. Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) and Mark Tulin (Electric Prunes)

THE SEEDS
Rik Collins (Woolly Bandits) former Seed and manager is heading up the line up and will handle the Bass duties for the evening. The Seeds will be made up with former Seed members including original members Daryl Hooper (Keyboards) and Jan Savage (guitar). this will be the first time in many years that they will play Seeds music. Line up for the Seeds band is as follows Justin Polimeni (Drums), Atomic (Guitar), Mark Bellgraph (guitar), Gary Stern (drums), Mike Oak (Keys) John Langdon of the Woolly Bandits (Keys), Carl Belkamp Seed member in the summer of 1968 (drums). Guest singers will include Don Bolles (The Germs), Leighton Koizumi (the Morlocks), and Christa Collins (Woolly Bandits) performing a wide range of Seed songs including the all the favorites.

MIKE RANDLE
of Baby Lemonade / Love

DJIN AQUARIAN
(spiritual brother in YaHoWha and also master guitarist for YaHoWha13)

SIMON STOKES BAND

SOFIZEL
+ The EnChaNTeD ChilD Of Rock + (member of Sky’s band in England: The People’s Republic Party)

GEORGE BUNNELL, RANDY SEOL, MARK WEITZ, AND GENE GUNNELS
“original members” of the Strawberry Alarm Clock

plus:
***Various people will talk about Sky throughout the program
***Source Family Members will be part of the program as well
***Projection of photos and video of Sky Sunlight Saxon

We encourage people to come dressed in flower children garb and/or source family style bearing flowers of any kind that we will set up on the stage

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

8pm / $15 advance, Donations accepted to offset costs & Expenses / 18+

Friday 07.24.09: CLUB UNDERGROUND with THE BLACK WATCH @ echo

The Black Watch || Listen

“the black watch remains, after nearly 20 years of making music, both intriguing and exhilarating. The group’s sound continues to be both provocative and just out of reach. From the woozy title track that sounds more than slightly off-kilter to the cosmic clutter of “The Lost Colony of Roanoke” to the wistful “Covers the Bummers” and lilting “Never Know”–songs that reinforce the band’s more melodic sensibilities–one can only hope that, after eight albums and half as many EPs, the black watch’s time has finally come.”–AMPLIFIER

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+

Saturday 07.25.09: SATURDAYS OFF THE 405 with CUT CHEMIST / WE ARE THE WORLD @ getty center

Cut Chemist || Listen

Fridays Off the 405 are now Saturdays Off the 405! The free outdoor performance series is back on Saturday nights this summer with a lively mix of today’s most exciting emerging bands and DJ sets to open and close the night. And starting this summer, parking is free at the Getty Center on Saturdays after 5pm.

Fans of DJ Shadow, RJD2, Jurassic 5, and masterful recent instrumental opuses from J-Dilla and Madlib would be wise to check out The Audience’s Listening (Warner Brothers), the major-label solo debut from longtime J5 mainstay Cut Chemist. Chemist takes audiences on an invigorating sonic journey that skips deliriously from genre to genre and is animated throughout by an infectious sense of rhythm and a prankish sense of humor. Strap on some headphones and enjoy the ride… – AV Club

With:
We Are The World

Getty Center Courtyard
1200 Getty Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90049

6pm / FREE / all ages

Saturday 07.25.09: STEPHEN MALKMUS & THE JICKS / THE FRESH & ONLYS / RED CORTEZ @ echoplex

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks || Listen || Watch

Stephen Malkmus fans divide into Pig Lib fans or Face the Truth fans, the same way Pavement fans split into Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain or Wowee Zowee partisans: Either you like the guy best when he zones out on the guitar for hours at a time, mumbling and rambling and diddling around, or you prefer his brief, quirky song fragments. Last time, on 2005′s Face the Truth, he offered a bunch of cute freak-folk ditties — a timely career move yet not such a memorable album. But Real Emotional Trash is a fantastic psychedelic feast, full of cosmic guitar crackle and electric piano and batshit poetry. It’s the album Malkmus has been driving at ever since he learned how to rip off the Velvet Underground and Quicksilver Messenger Service at the same time — a full-body baptism in John Cipollina’s bong water.

Guitar reveries like “Baltimore,” “Dragonfly Pie” and the road-tripping title jam ramble on for six or seven or even ten minutes; the only one that drags, “Gardenia,” is the only one under three minutes. The Jicks add the flesh-and-blood band interaction that was so key to Pig Lib, including ex-Sleater-Kinney drum goddess Janet Weiss. “Out of Reaches” revamps early Pavement’s elegiac hum; “We Can’t Help You” is a Basement Tapes-style ballad with perfect femme harmonies; “Elmo Delmo” fuses the Grateful Dead’s “Cryptical Envelopment” with Sonic Youth’s “Karen Koltrane.”

In “Dragonfly Pie,” when Malkmus sings, “Of all my stoned digressions/Some have mutated into the truth,” it’s notable as (1) the opening couplet on the album and (2) the last halfway coherent thing he says for the next hour or so. But that’s for the best, as Malkmus hasn’t taken the lyrics too seriously since Pavement broke up, and any statement heavier than the throwaway jokes here (“Made it back to Frisco in the vanity chest/To the painted ladies on house arrest”) would just get in the way. All he wants to do is surrender to the lightheaded rush of the music, and the results are downright glorious. – Rolling Stone

With:
The Fresh & Onlys || Listen
Red Cortez

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

8pm / $19adv, $22dos / All ages

Saturday 07.25.09: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 07.26.09: Grand Ole Echo with DAVID SERBY / JAIMI SHUEY / THE LINCOLN BEDROOM @ echo

David Serby || Listen
Jaimi Shuey || Listen
The Lincoln Bedroom

5:00pm / FREE / All Ages

Sunday 07.26.09: PART TIME PUNKS – SMITH / MORRISSEY NITE @ echo

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

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Monday 07.27.09: THE MEKONS / THE PULSARS / BOLLWEEVIL @ echo

The Mekons || Listen || Watch

Thirty years after they formed in Leeds, and fifteen or so after most of them relocated to America, the Mekons return to England for their quietest and weirdest album since 1982′s The Mekons Story. Replete with chants, harmonicas, found percussion and an extra helping of haunted London holdout Tom Greenhalgh, Natural eschews the comforting competence of unplugged á la MTV. Instead it delivers the ramshackle, ritualistic, druids-at-Stonehenge mood that campfire crusties at U.K. festivals like Glastonbury aspire to. Convinced Armageddon is upon us, the Mekons are determined to get in some mournful Earth worship first, and for fans who feel the spirit, songs will emerge. Try the beyond-thematic “Dark Dark Dark,” the Iraq-meets-Palm Springs “Burning in the Desert Burning” or the reggaefied “Cockermouth,” in which Jon Langford’s distracted “I ramble” sinks into Sally Timms’ gentle “You have to believe this is the end.” Maybe it’s not the end. But it’s a taste. – Rolling Stone

with:
The Pulsars
Bollweevil

8:30pm / $12 advance, $14 day of show / 18+

Monday 07.27.09: Monday Night Residency – JAPANESE MOTORS / THEE MAKEOUT PARTY / THE BLANK TAPES / GOLDIGGERS! @ echoplex

Japanese Motors || Watch

Japanese Motors are the most exciting band to emerge from Orange County since the heyday of Social Distortion and TSOL. Hailing from Costa Mesa, the Japanese Motors are made up by main vocalist Alex Knost, guitarist Nolan Hall, bassist Daniel Michicoff, and drummer Andrew Atkinson, the band is known around Southern California for the insane, all-night blowouts they put on as much as for the driving, raucous garage pop they set the partying to.

Rather than fight the influence of their surroundings like so many of their So Cal contemporaries, Japanese Motors have channeled it into their music, making tunes every bit as sun-baked and laid-back as their coastal environs and rife with positive imagery. “Most bands from here are trying to sound like they’re from London or New York,” Nolan says. “We embrace where we’re from.”

With:
Thee Makeout Party
Sweaters || Listen
Goldiggers!

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

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Tuesday 07.28.09: Aquarium Drunkard presents MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO / THE DONKEYS / DAVE GLEASON & OLD CALIFORNIO @ echo

Magnolia Electric Co || Listen || MP3

Record Store Day brought a welcome treat in the form of a new Magnolia Electric Co. 7″, but that was just a tiny tributary to the relative flood of awesomeness that Jason Molina has cooked up with Josephine, his band’s first album in three years. It’s out this July. Which is such good news. This morning Pitchfork posted a lengthy Q&A with the Songs: Ohia/Magnolia great, discussing details and touch points for the forthcoming Secretly Canadian release: inspired by the tragic Oakland-fire death of touring bassist Evan Farrell, recorded once again by Steve Albini, “sonically more on the minimalist side,” although “heavier” in that there’s a “gravity to the playing.” Read it. As for the listens, today we get a snatch at “Josephine,” the set’s title track. It sounds like a Jason Molina song, which is to say it sounds great. There’s Jason’s reedy, bleeding quaver delivering a heart-aching confessional, cathartically castigating himself “a fool” while the chords pull him up. It’s spare, dense, and to the point — try not to love it. And it’s just the start with this album. – Stereogum

with:
The Donkeys || Listen
Dave Gleason & Old Californio

8:30pm / $10 advance, $12 day of show / 18+

Wednesday 07.29.09: ADAM MARSLAND’S CHAOS BAND / THE JANKS / FAT CITY REPRISE / GOLDEN YEARS / J.P. CREGAN / COCA-COLA @ echo

Adam Marsland and his Chaos Band || Listen || Watch

Adam Marsland has been active in the Los Angeles – and national – music scene for well over a decade now, bringing his own brand of passionate, punky, soulful rock and roll to the masses. From the critically acclaimed years with his band Cockeyed Ghost, to the heady sophistication of the current Adam Marsland’s Chaos Band, to the dozens of DIY tours across North America , Marsland has continued to evolve as a musician, vocalist and songwriter, all the while maintaining his unique musical persona. A gifted multi-instrumentalist, Marsland also lends his musical talents to such acts as The Negro Problem/Stew and Jeff Merchant, as well as remaining a tireless, enthusiastic supporter of the LA music scene.

Marsland’s most recent project has been an ambitious undertaking: recreating the oft-overlooked music of the Beach Boys’ Carl and Dennis Wilson. Overshadowed by older brother – and acknowledged genius – Brian, brothers Carl and Dennis set out to regain control of the Beach Boys after Brian began suffering severe bouts of depression and mental instability in the late 1960′s and early 1970’s. Although the results were often mixed, the lesser-known Wilson brothers created an amazingly deep body of work, displaying an astonishing stylistic breadth that proves musical talent in the Wilson family wasn’t limited to Brian.

With the Chaos Band at his side – Evie Sands (lead guitar/vocals); Teresa Cowles (bass/vocals), John Perry (keyboards/vocals), and Kurt Medlin (drums) and guest, Beach Boys archivist Alan Boyd (keyboards/vocals)– Marsland set out on yet another self-promoted, self-organized tour in support of this heartfelt tribute to the “forgotten” Wilson brothers, recording a fine document of the event on his album “Long Promised Road (the Songs of Carl and Dennis Wilson Live)”; the band also played the recent dedication of the Beach Boys Historical Landmark (the childhood home of the Wilson brothers in Hawthorne, California), as well as performing with original Beach Boy Al Jardine. – Ear Candy Mag

The Janks
Fat City Reprise || Listen
Golden Years
J.P. Cregan
Coca-Cola

7pm / $8 / 18+

Wednesday 07.29.09: Spaceland Under The Stars – CLUB UNDERGROUND NIGHT @ Pershing Square

Club Underground Night

Pershing Square
532 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013

7pm / FREE / All ages

Wednesday 07.29.09: 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+

Thursday 07.30.09: Comedy is The New Black presents STARS & STRIPES OF COMEDY @ echoplex

Comedy Is The New Black Presents THE STARS and STRIPES SHOW :Freedom is Funny!

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

7:00pm / $10 / all ages

Thursday 07.30.09: BARRIO TIGER / ANGUS KHAN / JESSIE DELUXE / THUNDERDIKK @ echo

Barrio Tiger || Watch

Barrio Tiger is an LA 4 piece whose gimmick is Rock and Roll. Their lineup on any given night may include former or current members of Qui, The Hangmen, The Starvations, or even Guzzard and Helmet. Formerly known as Thee L.A. Gentlemen Callers, Barrio Tiger recalls the song craft of Paul Weller, Robert Pollard, and Uncle Tupelo and filters it through the bombast of bands like Dead Boys, Jawbreaker, and Dinosaur Jr. – Hum City Blogger

With:
Angus Khan || Listen
Jessie Deluxe || Listen
Thunderdikk || Listen

8:30pm / $5 / 18+

Thursday 07.30.09: DOWN AND DERBY ROLLER DISCO @ echoplex

Down and Derby, the premier roller skating organization that has quickly garnered a loyal following in cities like Las Vegas, Pittsburgh and New York City will host its second Los Angeles event at The Echoplex, Thursday, July 30. Resident skate guard DJs Thee Mike B and Steve 1Der will control the roller disco rink’s turntables, broadcasting amplified sounds for the eight-wheeled revelers.

The Los Angeles event is set apart from Down and Derby parties in other cities by its authentic 70s feel. The resident DJs don’t just spin popular tunes for which the era has become known—they reach into the depths of 70s music to bring partiers the obscure hits that may not be recognizable by most, but are truly indicative of the culture and lifestyle of the era.

Down and Derby, is a retro-inspired roller-skating party created and designed to give attendees a unique nightlife experience. The interactive throwback events combine décor reminiscent of a 70s roller disco with attendees participating through wearing fashion attire evocative of the era. DJs known for pushing the limits of mixing and music production are procured, adding vibrant energy to the event with both underground and popular mixes.

The entry fee is $5 with RSVP, $10 at the door and quad skates of every size will be available to rent for another $5. Guests are welcome to bring their own roller skates to the event.

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

RSVP at www.downandderby.org

9pm / $5 with RSVP, $10 at the door / 21+

Friday 07.31.09: Filter & Loudvine present DEERHOOF / BUSDRIVER / AVOCET @ echoplex

Deerhoof || Listen || Watch || MP3

And sure enough, within the first three songs Offend Maggie revels in its playful, welcoming nature. Leaping from urgent, almost foreboding intro chords in ‘The Tears’ and ‘Music Of Love’ to the hopscotch melodies of ‘Chandelier Searchlight’ would be a fantastic feat for any other band, but we’ve come to accept this sort of thing as the Deerhoof norm.

How, though, can a band so rhythmically and melodically skewed envelop you so wholly? The answer can be found on the title track where Satomi Matsuzaki’s spindly, delicately fey voice winds its way around touching, finger-picked guitar refrains: it resonates by retaining a punch even when bursts of violence punctuate the music. More than ever, their tenth album continues to place emphasis on this intertwining of chiming vocals and elaborate, delicate musical orienteering.

Deerhoof’s world, then, remains something of a mystery as they end the fourteenth year of their recorded career. It’s still overflowing with all kinds of aural fauna and sonic life; incomparable and often hard to describe. The best way to approach this band is to stop comparing them to the usual reference points – instead, it’s far more rewarding to accept Offend Maggie as a land of its own making, something to be indulged, explored and, finally, cherished. – Drowned in Sound

With:
Busdriver || Listen
Avocet

8pm / $12.00 advance, $14 day of show / all ages

Friday 07.31.09: Club Underground presents ANAVAN / DAZZLER @ echo

Anavan || Listen || Watch

“Equally in debt to their noise-rock contemporaries and mid-80′s synth-electro, Anavan throw pop music into a big noisy blender and deliver the results with a ferocity rarely seen in an electronic music trio. After breaking through with their 2006 debut on GSL, the band’s three-piece synth-punk attack was honed via relentless touring and further exploration of their three-person dynamic. Anchored by Aaron Buckley’s drums, the bass and synth attack of Bret Berg and Molly Williams lock in with a sound that defies their less-is-more lineup.” – CJAM

With:
Dazzler

9pm / $8 / 18+