Monday 02.01.10: Monday Night Residency – USELESS KEYS / SPIRIT VINE / THE ARMS / VERY SPECIAL GUESTS @ echo

Useless Keys || Listen

The foursome’s debut EP, which will be out after the first of the year, is the stuff of late nights and distant horizons, taut and expansive and cinematic and not a little bit Floydian. Its title is “Is the Painting Changing?” — and no matter whether the metaphorical painting is, it’s certain that Bauer, who led the Fugazi-inspired trio the Front until the band broke up on Jan. 1, 2008, has. He calls it a “natural progression,” but it’s more a startling metamorphosis, one that Bauer attributes to the friendship and tutelage of guitarist Michael Regilio.

“The Front was the band where I drank whiskey, turned up my guitar real loud and shouted into the microphone,” he says. “In Useless Keys, I’m actually conscious of the whole package … It’s just maturing, I guess.”

Regilio was a driving force in the underrated L.A. power-pop band the Green and Yellow TV. After their respective former bands disintegrated in ’08, Bauer and Regilio would get together for lessons and jams sessions. “I saw Michael as someone I could learn a lot from — he went to Berklee, and he’s just a much better guitar player than I am,” Bauer says. “We started making demos in his bedroom, but we had no aspirations. He had something going on, I had something going on. … But then his project broke up, and I needed to plunge myself into something.”

The pair hooked up with drummer Rory Modica and bassist Guylaine Vivarat, and from their first show at Spaceland it was evident Useless Keys were a band to watch. Recent shows in New York, including one supporting the Rifles, went well, and they’ve been recording with producer Sheldon Gomberg (Rick Parker’s mix adds to the psychedelic vibe). The quartet is aiming high on its full-length album. – Buzz Bands

with:
Spirit Vine || Listen
The Arms
Special Guests

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Tuesday 02.02.10: MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY / SEASONS / YELLOW ALEX / CASTANO @ echo

Manhattan Murder Mystery
Seasons
Castano
Yellow Alex

PLUS BINGO!

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Wednesday 02.03.10: GRAHAM FOREST / EMILY LACY / THOUSAND DOZEN GLOVES @ echo

Graham Forest || Watch

Rumor has it that Graham Forest sits cross-legged on the ground while entertaining Native American children, strumming his guitar and spinning tall tales. It’s also suggested that Graham Forest lives in a trailer in the forests of, um, Fresno, and his quarters are overrun with marionette parts, leatherworking tools and ancient mortar holes. Graham Forest, it is said, hones his powers from the Indian burial ground and nonworking satellite dish that his backyard comprises. Whether all this is true or not, the mostly unknown yet easily embraced Central Valley Neil Diamond known as Graham Forest possesses a wholesome goodness that is greatly appreciated amid much of the F Yeah Fest’s chaos. – LA Weekly

with:
Emily Lacy || Listen
Thousand Dozen Gloves

8:30pm / $5 / 18+

Wednesday 02.03.10: 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 02.04.10: THELONIOUS MONSTER / DOGWEED / HORSE THIEVES / SEAN WHEELER & ZANDER SCHLOSS @ echo

Thelonious Monster || Watch

A sort of all-star collection of L.A. scenesters and musicians, Thelonious Monster formed in 1986 and specialized in what would best be described as drunk-rock in the tradition of the Replacements. Ramshackle, loose live performances — one was never sure if the band would actually turn up or finish out — seemed to be their hallmark, yet at times lead vocalist and lyricist Bob Forrest was capable of brilliance. No matter the lyrical scenario, nothing was ever good enough for him. The band began with a messy, four-guitar record, Baby….You’re Bumming My Life Out in a Supreme Fashion in 1986 with Pete Weiss, drums; Jon Huck, bass; K.K., guitar; Bill Stobaugh, guitar; Chris Handsome, guitar; and Dix Denney, guitar. They followed it with Next Saturday Afternoon, a more coherent effort. The John Doe-produced Stormy Weather in 1989 was a step up, as the band had since been taken under the wing of X and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, serving as a support act and getting some informal studio help from Doe and Flea on occasion. The lineup revolved, but in the end, Weiss, Denney, and Handsome remained true to Forrest. Beautiful Mess, an uneven, all-star gala (appearances by Tom Waits, Al Kooper and Soul Asylum) came out three years later. Forrest occasionally appears as a solo acoustic act, and the band tours sporadically. ~ Denise Sullivan, All Music Guide

with:
Dogweed
Horse Thieves
Sean Wheeler / Zander Schloss

8:30pm / $8 / 18+

Friday 02.05.10: First Fridays with YEASAYER / WARPAINT @ natural history museum

with:
Yeasayer
Warpaint

Warpaint’s hypnotic, layered, bass-driven music with ethereal vocals creates an atmosphere that seems to melt and float around the listener. This quartet is not to be missed. Hailing from Brooklyn, Yeasayer’s music is a genre-bending journey into pop, rock, Middle Eastern and African musics, folk, and dub.

Plus DJs:
Ana Calderon
Them Jeans

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

FMI: Natural History Museum

5:30pm / $9 / All Ages

Friday 02.05.10: DAEDELUS / NOSAJ THING / JOGGER / FROSTY @ echoplex

Daedelus || Listen || Watch

Alfred “Daedelus” Darlington is a proponent of Edwardian dandyism for the Internet age, and his electronic whimsy has been influenced equally by Coldcut’s chopped-up beats and Bernard Herrmann’s orchestral Vertigo. But on Love to Make Music To, the L.A. producer unveils a nocturnal soundtrack toughened up by booty bass (“My Beau”), hardcore techno (the astringent “Hrs:Mins: Secs”), and coked-out club rap (the slurry “Touchtone” with Paperboy and Sa-Ra’s Taz). Daedelus’ furious stylistic shifts are engrossing (if challenging), and when he closes the album with the glowing predawn ballad “You’re the One,” it sounds like hard-won catharsis. – Spin.com

with:
Nosaj Thing || Listen
Jogger
Frosty (Dub Lab)

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

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

Friday 02.05.10: CLUB UNDERGROUND with EBONY BONES / LITTLE RED RADIO @ echo

Ebony Bones || Listen || Watch

“Perhaps thee most chattered about act in London right now, Miss EBONY BONES! is a one of a kind Producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and all-round femme fatale who mixes up post-punk stylings, with pure girl sass. Enlisting her crew of rhythm section and backing vocalists, the EBONY BONES! live experience is one part punk rock show, one part Mardi Gras carnival parade.”
- Time Out

with:
Little Red Radio

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

FMI: ClubUnderground.net

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

Saturday 02.06.10: BOOTIE LA with SLASH FICTION @ echoplex

BOOTIE LA
LA’s monthly mashup bootleg party

ALL-DISCO mashup set from:
SLASH FICTION

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

Resident dance crew:
R.A.I.D. (Random Acts of Irreverent Dance)

“Disco assassins for hire” Slash Fiction hit the decks at midnight, for a special ALL-DISCO mashup set! Henry Slash and Mick Fiction are the DJ duo responsible for rockin’ the dance floor at Chinatown’s Full Frontal Disco parties, celebrating disco decadence in its myriad mutations, both classic and contemporary — only this time, they’ll be adding a mashup twist to their signature sound!

And for the Midnight Mashup Show, resident dance crew R.A.I.D. (Random Acts of Irreverent Dance) takes over the stage in all their bizarre, gold-suited glory, for another show-stopping dance performance.

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.

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. And free mashup CDs will be given away like candy!

FREE Bootie CDs to the first 100 people through the door!

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

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

Saturday 02.06.10: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 02.07.10: PART TIME PUNKS with LE FACE / THE FRANKS @ echo

with:
Le Face
The Franks || Listen

resident dj Michael Stock spinning mutant disco * Postpunk * indiepop

FMI: Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Monday 02.08.10: Monday Night Residency – USELESS KEYS / LIGHT FM / BLACK APPLES / L.E.F. @ echo

Useless Keys || Listen

The foursome’s debut EP, which will be out after the first of the year, is the stuff of late nights and distant horizons, taut and expansive and cinematic and not a little bit Floydian. Its title is “Is the Painting Changing?” — and no matter whether the metaphorical painting is, it’s certain that Bauer, who led the Fugazi-inspired trio the Front until the band broke up on Jan. 1, 2008, has. He calls it a “natural progression,” but it’s more a startling metamorphosis, one that Bauer attributes to the friendship and tutelage of guitarist Michael Regilio.

“The Front was the band where I drank whiskey, turned up my guitar real loud and shouted into the microphone,” he says. “In Useless Keys, I’m actually conscious of the whole package … It’s just maturing, I guess.”

Regilio was a driving force in the underrated L.A. power-pop band the Green and Yellow TV. After their respective former bands disintegrated in ’08, Bauer and Regilio would get together for lessons and jams sessions. “I saw Michael as someone I could learn a lot from — he went to Berklee, and he’s just a much better guitar player than I am,” Bauer says. “We started making demos in his bedroom, but we had no aspirations. He had something going on, I had something going on. … But then his project broke up, and I needed to plunge myself into something.”

The pair hooked up with drummer Rory Modica and bassist Guylaine Vivarat, and from their first show at Spaceland it was evident Useless Keys were a band to watch. Recent shows in New York, including one supporting the Rifles, went well, and they’ve been recording with producer Sheldon Gomberg (Rick Parker’s mix adds to the psychedelic vibe). The quartet is aiming high on its full-length album. – Buzz Bands

with:
Light FM
The Black Apples
L.E.F.

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Tuesday 02.09.10: LACO$TE / MICHAEL NHAT / FAWN AS WOMEN / FANTASTICA BASTIDAS @ echo

LACO$TE || Listen

Laco$te’s X rolled around, climbed tables, and bent backwards during a short, electric set—so high charged it blew some fuses, including the band members’. Most people believed the sound splitting was a deliberate trippy effect. Laco$te could’ve mimed their remaining songs and kept the audience bobbing along. – LA Record

with:
Michael Nhat
Fawn As Women
Fantastica Bastidas

8:30pm / $5 / 18+

Wednesday 02.10.10: FINDLAY BROWN / PIZZA! / COBRA LILIES / SUPERHUMANOIDS @ echo

Findlay Brown || Watch

Brown’s sophomore album, Love Will Find You (out now) takes a remarkable u-turn from the humble, acoustic sound of his debut. Donning a pompadour and layering up his tracks with a Spectorlike wall of sound, Brown traded in the simplicity of his first record for what he calls “an onslaught.” The album bubbles over with orchestral arrangements and vocals that have already drawn too many Roy Orbison comparisons to count, all grounded by Brown’s uncanny knack for vintage-styled songwriting. It would sound more at home playing on an RCA Victor radio than iTunes. “Really, the most important thing to me is writing good songs,” he says. “A lot of the songs I’ve fallen in love with have been from the Brill Building. The hits, you know? Those classic hits that are always going to be around.”

The title track of the new album fits in quite nicely among the hits of Brill writers like Burt Bacharach and Carole King, thanks in part to Brown’s refusal to add any modern twists to the classic style. – Paste Magazine

with:
Cobra Lilies || Listen
PIZZA!
Superhumanoids

8:30pm / $7 / 18+

Wednesday 02.10.10: DUB CLUB presents COURTNEY MELODY / TIPPA LEE @ echoplex

COURTNEY MELODY
with special guest TIPPA LEE
backed by Echodelic Soundsystem

Rough dancehall singer Courtney Melody was born in St. Andrew, Jamaica and began singing from when he attended school. In his early teens he started to work on a local sound system called Black Spider. He started to make a name for himself when he joined the mighty Stereo One sound system, working alongside Lieutenant Stitchie, Ricky Stereo, Boy Blue, Wolfman and Daddy Freddy.
It was Stereo One who released his first 45, an awesome soundboy burial anthem called “Screechy Across The Border”.

Courtney then went to Winston Riley’s Techniques label to voice “How Long Will Your Love Last” and “Exploiter”. These were small hits, but his next effort “Bad Boy” in 1986 propelled this young singer into international dancehall stardom. Courtney Melody then became the hottest artist in reggae music, unleashing a volley of unstoppable dancehall sides such as “Ninja Mi Ninja” and “Tell Dem” for King Tubbys; “Modern Girl” for Robert French; “Put It Down” for Harry J “Downpressor” for Prince Jazzbo; “Rootsman Corner” for Redman; and “Can’t Get We Out” for King Jammy’s. Many of these tunes remain modern-day dancehall classics.
After experiencing a motorbike accident, Courtney was forced to take a long break from the business and little was heard from Courtney throughout the 1990s, with the exception of a superb single for Star Trail called “In The Street”. Riding the “Baltimore” rhythm, this tune proved that Courtney really was a great singer, who given the opportunity and the right rhythm, still produce top quality reggae music.

The 1999 World Clash in New York was a landmark event for Courtney. Japanese sound system Mighty Crown brandished their dubplate special of “Ninja Mi Ninja” which mashed up the dance, helping the Japanese to take the trophy. Tapes of the clash went worldwide and soon every sound had to have their own specials from Courtney Melody. Suddenly his popularity rose and led to Courtney touring overseas and capitalising on his dancehall veteran status.

In 2007 he came out an excellent new album , Serious Business.

We are very excited to Courtney Melody live and direct at the Dub Club, alongside long time Dub Club favorite Tippa Lee, and backed up on the turntables by Echodelic Soundsystem.

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

9pm / $10 / 21+

Thursday 02.11.10: Grand Ole Echo Presents JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE / JOE PUG / THE HI HOS @ echo

Justin Townes Earle || Watch || MP3

Earle’s sophomore record and third overall release, Midnight at the Movies, his best and most thorough work. It’s as if he extracted the emotional transparency and simplicity from his self-released EP, Yuma, and mixed that with the hints of rockabilly and studio finesse of his debut album, The Good Life. The result is a nearly flawless, organic LP. And he makes it all sound so easy on tracks like “They Killed John Henry” and “Halfway to Jackson,” which mainly revolve around some hurried acoustic finger plucking, with a couple of other non-invasive instruments like a harmonica or standup bass to round it all out. Even Earle’s unexpected take on the Replacements’ “Can’t Hardly Wait” sounds as if Paul Westerberg had written it for this very album. – Paste Magazine

with:
Joe Pug
The Hi Hos

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

Thursday 02.11.10: EYEDEA AND ABILITIES / DOSH / SILENT ARMY @ echoplex

Eyedea & Abilities || Listen || Watch

By the Throat is the third release from the MC/DJ pair of Eyedea (Mike Averill) and Abilities (Gregory Keltgen). Since their rap battle days (they won Scribble Jam, Rocksteady, and the Blaze Battle in the late ’90s) they’ve been expanding their sonic palette, and this effort is a further evolution from 2004′s E&A. Abilities uses sounds ranging from rock’n'roll guitars to his trademark turntable work, and Eyedea’s lyrics are as various as ever. In addition to rhyming about loss and addiction, topics as esoteric as neuroscience and quantum physics are addressed. – Prefix

with:
Dosh || Listen
Silent Army

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

9pm / $10 advance, $12 day of show / 18+

Friday 02.12.10: Echo, Club Underground & Performer Magazine present FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS / SWEATER GIRLS @ echo

Fitz and The Tantrums || Watch

“I like this a lot for very obvious reasons…it’s Dope! It might be song of the week, actually.” – Mark Ronson

“A supercool Motown-style combo in the Mark Ronson/Sharon Jones/mid-period-ABC vein…imagine if Amy Winehouse was blonde, male, and sane, and that’s Fitz” – Yahoo! Music

“You can practically hear the record needle drop on the scratchy 45 when listening to Fitz and The Tantrums, a stylish retro-styled 60′s pop/soul combo” – NBC Los Angeles

“Bringing back all the smooth feel of the Motown golden age with some new bounce. Fitz and his Tantrums are sure to install some smooth soul with a little extra.” – IndieRockReviews.com

with:
Sweater Girls

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

FMI: Club Underground on Myspace

8:30pm / $8 / 18+

Friday 02.12.10: VTech & Beat Junkie Sound present NIGHTLIFE – THE BEAT JUNKIES / SLUM VILLAGE @ echoplex

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

plus special guest:
SLUM VILLAGE

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

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

Saturday 02.13.10: The Hear Gallery, Solid Gold, and Everyday Presents THE 3RD ANNUAL “LOVERS & STRANGERS” VALENTINES ART & MUSIC FESTIVAL with THE IDYLLIST / RADIO FREQ / WHITE ARROWS / XANIMO @ echoplex

The Hear Gallery, Solid Gold, and Everyday Presents:

THE 3RD ANNUAL “LOVERS & STRANGERS” VALENTINES ART & MUSIC FESTIVAL!

Bands:
9- THE IDYLLISTS
10- RADIO FREQ
11- WHITE ARROWS
12- XANIMO

Djs inside:
- DJ N
- ANA CALDERON
- DORIAN
- MAURICE DE LA FALAISE
- DIRTY DAVE
- more TBA

Djs outside:
- FRESH 2 DEATH
- ED GOLD
- more TBA

Artists:
- A mash up 30 LIVE artists total!
presented by: The Hear Gallery, Hive Gallery, & Everyday Art Collective.

PHOTOS:
- SHADOWSCENE
- LEO SHOOTS YOU
- GET FAMOUS

PHOTOBOOTH :
- JOHNNY MARONEY (A SPEICAL VALENTINE ART BOOTH )

***LIVE DOCUMENTARY FILMING BY: THE INDIE WORKFORCE

HOST:
- PINGPING
- BJ PANDA BEAR

***CATERING BY: BOLD TACOS

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

8pm / $8 before 10pm, $10 after / 18+

Saturday 02.13.10: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 02.14.10: KiDROCKERS with DENGUE FEVER / BUDDY @ echo (day show)

Dengue Fever || Watch
Buddy || Listen

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 Matt Dwyer

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

Sunday 02.14.10: The Center for Nonviolent Education and Parenting presents FAMILY DANCE PARTY & FUNDRAISER @ echoplex (early show – enter on sunset)

@ Echoplex
enter through Sunset Entrance
1822 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

2pm / all ages

Sunday 02.14.10: PART TIME PUNKS – MY BLOODY VALENTINE NITE with THE MEEK + WEEKEND [from S.F.] + YOUNG PRISMS @ echo

THE MEEK
WEEKEND
YOUNG PRISMS

resident dj Michael Stock spinning mutant disco * Postpunk * indiepop

FMI:
Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+

Monday 02.15.10: Monday Night Residency – USELESS KEYS / AUSHUA / WE BARBARIANS / SCIENCE @ echo

Useless Keys || Listen

The foursome’s debut EP, which will be out after the first of the year, is the stuff of late nights and distant horizons, taut and expansive and cinematic and not a little bit Floydian. Its title is “Is the Painting Changing?” — and no matter whether the metaphorical painting is, it’s certain that Bauer, who led the Fugazi-inspired trio the Front until the band broke up on Jan. 1, 2008, has. He calls it a “natural progression,” but it’s more a startling metamorphosis, one that Bauer attributes to the friendship and tutelage of guitarist Michael Regilio.

“The Front was the band where I drank whiskey, turned up my guitar real loud and shouted into the microphone,” he says. “In Useless Keys, I’m actually conscious of the whole package … It’s just maturing, I guess.”

Regilio was a driving force in the underrated L.A. power-pop band the Green and Yellow TV. After their respective former bands disintegrated in ’08, Bauer and Regilio would get together for lessons and jams sessions. “I saw Michael as someone I could learn a lot from — he went to Berklee, and he’s just a much better guitar player than I am,” Bauer says. “We started making demos in his bedroom, but we had no aspirations. He had something going on, I had something going on. … But then his project broke up, and I needed to plunge myself into something.”

The pair hooked up with drummer Rory Modica and bassist Guylaine Vivarat, and from their first show at Spaceland it was evident Useless Keys were a band to watch. Recent shows in New York, including one supporting the Rifles, went well, and they’ve been recording with producer Sheldon Gomberg (Rick Parker’s mix adds to the psychedelic vibe). The quartet is aiming high on its full-length album. – Buzz Bands

with:
Aushua || Listen
We Barbarians || Listen
Science

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Tuesday 02.16.10: Spaceland Productions & LA Weekly present An Evening with RICKIE LEE JONES @ Vista Theatre

Rickie Lee Jones || Listen

There is only one Rickie Lee Jones and you can experience her unique mixture of R&B, jazz, soul and pop in February. That is, if your town is lucky enough to be on the routing sheet.

Has it really been more than thirty years since Jones recorded “Chuck E.’s In Love?” As the story goes, Jones was with Tom Waits while the gravel-voiced singer spoke on the phone with friend and musician Chuck E. Weiss.

After ending the call, Jones supposedly asked Waits about the conversation, and he replied, “Chuck E.’s in love,” thereby giving her the song title that would eventually become her signature tune and help launch her career.

Jones has a short tour beginning Feb. 13 in Sparks, Nev., at John Ascuaga’s Nugget. Valentine’s Day has her in Santa Cruz at the Rio Theater and she appears in Los Angeles at the Vista Theatre Feb. 16. – Pollstar

@ Vista Theatre
4473 Sunset Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90027

This is a general Admission seated show.

Special tickets are available for preferred seating and a special Meet & Greet with Rickie Lee Jones

7:30pm / $30 general admission, $75 Preferred seating & Meet and Greet / All Ages

Tuesday 02.16.10: Aquarium Drunkard Presents MAGIC KIDS / PEARL HARBOR / DUNES @ echo

Magic Kids || MP3

without doubt rough trade shop’s single of the year so far. the magic kids are a mysterious band of pop pranksters from memphis featuring members of the barbaras and girls of the gravitron. langley school x the beach boys x spector = the magic kids. it’s a joyous vocal-centric song with impressive harmony and old-fashioned instrumentation – one listen and you will fall in love with this baby. total pop perfection. song of the summer? more like song of the year. – Rough Trade

with:
Pearl Harbor || Listen
Dunes

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

Tuesday 02.16.10: Fat Tuesday Party with OLLIN / LAS CAFETERAS / MENTIRITAS / UPGROUND @ echoplex

Ollin || Listen || Mp3

For over 300 years, Mardi Gras has been a tradition in New Orleans that defines a city rich in music and culture. So what does that have to do with bands from LA (most of which hail from East LA)? OLLIN, Mentiritas, Las Cafeteras and Upground are bands that love to party and live to share their music with the masses, that’s what. Several years back party host, Ollin, began to use Fat Tuesday as a means to learn a different style of music and to pay tribute to one of America’s coolest traditions, the music of Mardi Gras. Known for fusing Mexican folk music with rock, Irish, Klezmer and punk, Ollin adds yet another feather to its musical hat by playing some traditional music from the Bayou. Las Cafeteras are pure entertainers. Playing traditional music from Veracruz, Mexico, this female heavy band sings, dances and rocks any stage they come in contact with. Mentiritas is more than a band. Mentiritas (which translates to “little lies”), is a hilarious musical show fronted by the boys from Ozomatli. Their infectious dance grooves are riddled with comedy, insight and mayhem. With members from the Beastie Boys, Cava and Ozo this rare appearance is a perfect addition to the night. Upground has a vibe all its own. From hard grooving Latin soul to high voltage Ska, hips WILL be moving when these East L.A. natives take the stage. This line up is hotter than the sun. Attendees are encouraged to go all out and dress in Mardi Gras colors and costumes; after all, this is fucking Mardi Gras ya’ll.

with:
Las Cafeteras
Mentiritas
Upground

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

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

Wednesday 02.17.10: OLD MAN MARKLEY / PINE BOX BOYS / JOEY BRIGGS @ echo

Old Man Markley || Watch

Not an old man at all, but rather a young, unsigned, nine-member group working in such homespun instruments as kazoo, train whistle, autoharp, and washboard alongside more traditional pickin’ ‘n’ grinnin’ with banjos, fiddles, bass and drums. It’s a hoedown and a throwdown and it’ll keep ya from feelin’ lowdown. -TheKnitLA on LastFM.com

with:
The Pine Box Boys || Listen
Joey Briggs

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

Wednesday: 02.17.10: 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 02.18.10: Spaceland Productions presents A Solo Acoustic Evening with Chris Shiflett of Foo Fighters & Audra Mae @ LaBrie’s (Formerly The Scene Bar)

Chris Shiflett

with:
Audra Mae

At LaBrie’s
(Formerly The Scene Bar)
806 E. Colorado St
Glendale, CA 91205

8pm / $12 advance, $15 day of show / 21+

Thursday 02.18.10: FYF Presents COLD CAVE / SMITH WESTERNS / BEST COAST @ Echoplex

Cold Cave || Watch

Synth-pop, post punk, new wave, atmospheric industrial– all these references, which came and went and were fashionable again a half-decade ago, somehow manage to feel fresh here. It’s probably because the songs on Love Comes Close are consistently catchy and well constructed– once you have that down, genre concerns become secondary. Still, these are some awfully icy landscapes, and Cold Cave do have a way with mood. Take, for instance, opener “Cebe and Me”, which exhibits a pulsing, Ambien-addled dry cold that threatens to wear thin if over-exercised. But this track turns out to be an entry-level teaser, as album highlight “Love Comes Close” chimes in right on time, an inspired, bittersweet New Order-style dance-pop track that’s as morose as it is curiously uplifting, constantly refreshing itself on that earworm of a guitar hook. From here on out, Love evens out, outfitting those creepy, dead-eyed synthetics in more pop-friendly garb. – Pitchfork

with:
Smith Westerns
Best Coast || Listen

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

8:00pm / $12 / All Ages

Thursday 02.18.10: CROOKED COWBOY AND THE FRESHWATER INDIANS / CAIRO GANG / JOHNNY O’DONNEL AND FAMOUS PLAYERS / JOHN WEBSTER JOHNS @ echo

Crooked Cowboy and The Freshwater Indians || Watch

Crooked Cowboy are a little hard to define. You could say they play folk music, or country, or folk-rock, and you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. But after seeing them live, these labels would be so limiting. When you look at them as whole, the best way to describe them would be ghost-cowboy rock on acid.

That’s right, ghost cowboy rock on acid. Marianne Williams’ voice was ethereal, an otherworldly call above Brendan Willard’s steady, growling vocals. The guitarist didn’t provide a predictable country twang, but instead sounded a lot more on the psyche rock side. And with his drum sticks pounding away at a giant tom-tom drum, their drummer, Nick Murray could really drum. Not to mention Williams’ use of a celesta, a small metal-xylophone piano.

Crooked Cowboy sang songs about silver six shooters, gypsy lovers, and bumpy roads. A few band members stayed true to the cowboy theme, wearing old Wild-West-style hats and clothes (the nice looking kind, not the cheesy looking kind). All throughout their set, giant stage projections displayed above their heads. The multimedia often multiplied a live feed of the band, creating a trippy feel. Distorted clips from Todd Browning’s 1932 film Freaks mixed with blurred videos of strippers pole dancing. It was a little bizarre and completely fitting for the band. – Loudvine

with:
Cairo Gang
Johnny O ‘Donnel and Famous Players
John Webster Johns || Listen

8pm / $7 / 18+

Friday 02.19.10: Echo & Club Underground present FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS (9:30pm set time) / POP NOIR @ echo

Fitz and The Tantrums || Watch

“I like this a lot for very obvious reasons…it’s Dope! It might be song of the week, actually.” – Mark Ronson

“A supercool Motown-style combo in the Mark Ronson/Sharon Jones/mid-period-ABC vein…imagine if Amy Winehouse was blonde, male, and sane, and that’s Fitz” – Yahoo! Music

“You can practically hear the record needle drop on the scratchy 45 when listening to Fitz and The Tantrums, a stylish retro-styled 60′s pop/soul combo” – NBC Los Angeles

“Bringing back all the smooth feel of the Motown golden age with some new bounce. Fitz and his Tantrums are sure to install some smooth soul with a little extra.” – IndieRockReviews.com

with:
Pop Noir || Listen

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

8:30pm / $8 / 18+

Friday 02.19.10: I PROMOTE GOOD BANDS, BeatCrave and Echo present RADARS TO THE SKY / ONE TRICK PONY / MISSISSIPPI MAN / RADEMACHER @ echoplex

Radars To The Sky || Watch

In a set also peppered with such ‘classic’ material (some of which will reappear on the new album) as “I Might,” “Zurich,” and “Victoria,” Radars offered a glimpse into their new direction as a band since the departure of guitarist Seamus Simpson in January (Simpson is now working with the excellent Thailand)—dense, insular and bruising, with just as many nods towards complex indie-rock as there were towards hooky new wave.

Opener “Sharpen Your Teeth” began as a dreamy, slow-motion metallic clash of guitars and keys, which unfurled into the sci-fi bounce of the suite-like, multi-part jangle of “As the Nurses Scurry.” A crucial tension in the music of Radars to the Sky is the tug-of-war between epic, long-form art-rock and crushing, melodic indie; with those two opening songs, the band seemed to be signaling a move in the direction of the former. However, they can still detonate a catchy rock ‘n roll tune when the inclination strikes—“The Apple Never Falls” was all slash and burn guitar kinetics, while “Sergeant,” was a series of stop-start grooves and crunching, anthemic hooks, as well as one of the evening’s strongest tunes.

The highlight of the set, though, may have been the closer, “1624.” A driving song of divebomb guitar swoons and rhythmic surges wrapped within a rumbling new wave dirge, “1624” exemplifies the sound of Radars to the Sky as it is today—a band far more interested in grooves, texture and detail, or as Mouse of Classical Geek Theatre put it, they’re playing “indie rock for the indie rocker.” – Web In Front

with:
One Trick Pony || Listen
Mississippi Man
Rademacher

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

8:30pm / $10 / 18+

Saturday 02.20.10: MISHKA LA GRAND OPENING PARTY with WAVVES / BEST COAST / THE FRANKS / 12TH PLANET / FRANKI CHAN / KILLING SPREE / hosted by ANDY MILONAKIS @ echoplex

So I’m sure you guys all know we’re opening the Los Angeles chapter of Мишка on February 20th in Echo Park. The shop will open at noon and there will be exclusives, Spring 2010 product and just an all-around jovial atmosphere. From 7-9pm we’ll also be having an opening reception in the shop with some drinks and music and invite everyone from the community and greater Los Angeles area to come by. But as soon as that’s over we’re going to show the West one of those things we do best, and that’s throw a party! And boy do we have a party for you guys…

It’ll be a riotous evening as we brought in DJs like your West Coast Dubstep Champion, 12th Planet who’ll be doing a set w/ Ras Kass (yes that Ras Kass), Franki Chan of IHEARTCOMIX and the Killing Spree duo of Gibby & Zane is Trouble who’ll bring the dark and dancey to the dance floor. And if that wasn’t already enough for a great party, we couldn’t not have a few bands perform now could we? We brought in West Coast Lo-Fi heavy weight such as Wavves and Best Coast along with very awesome The Franks to keep the party rocking all night long. But wait… that still isn’t everything! The cherry on top of it all is that your host of the evening will be none other than Andy Milonakis, who’ll be gracing you all with laughs and I’m sue a few impromptu freestyles. Who knows, he may even battle the elusive Turd Wolf if we get enough liquor in him.

with:
Wavves || Listen
Best Coast
The Franks || Listen
12th Planet
Franki Chan
Killing Spree

Hosted By:
Andy Milonakis

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

RSVP: rsvp@mishkanyc.com

FMI: MishkaNYC.com

9pm / FREE with RSVP / 21+

Saturday 02.20.10: FUNKY SOLE @ echo

with DJs:
Music Man Miles
Clifton AKA Soft Touch

FMI: Funky Sole on Myspace

10pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 02.21.10: PART TIME PUNKS – FACTORY RECORDS NITE with DJ TIM BURGESS @ echo

guest DJ Tim Burgess (THE CHARLATANS)

resident dj Michael Stock spinning mutant disco * Postpunk * indiepop

FMI: Part Time Punks on Myspace

10pm / $5 / 18+