My first post

O.K. here goes my first post.
Monday night's free residencies in Los Angeles are getting impossible to choose between. So this Monday (May 5th) I chose the Le Switch residency at the Echo because I'm crazy for the new band Amnion and had to go see them for the fourth time. Aaron and Nikki and company had the place swooning by 9:15 in the evening with the great sound the Echo is capable of and a beautiful performance by all four band members. Frankel came on next with a nice set including some new material and selections from his excellent CD "Lullaby for the Passerby". Some solo, some with bandmates, he always delivers a solid performance. Knowing I had two more concert nights in a row I had to leave as Le Switch came on. Hope to see them later in the month.

Tuesday was the release day for the long awaited Everest album "Ghost Notes" and they played an in-store at Amoeba. These are some of the nicest guys I've met in the local music scene and once again they delivered a solid, strong set of beautiful songs. This was my sixth exposure to their live performance and I gotta say their professionalism and dedication are awe-inspiring. Speaking with Russell and Jason I understand they are feeling like they're riding a rocket with all that's happening so fast. They're on their way to Ireland to play in a castle with Neil Young but before that they're taping a "Conan O'Brien Show" for May 16th. You could just see the joy on their faces. They deserve it!

Wednesday was Vetiver and Kelley Stoltz at the Troubadour. So I walk up to the box office and Everest are ahead of me in line. They're everywhere! Also saw Michael Orendy of Frankel and Devendra Banhart in the crowd. Kelley Stoltz is an artist I have enjoyed since seeing him open for Irving a couple of years ago at the Echo. He sings fine folk-tinged rock with lots of interesting instrumentation augmented by a larger band than I've seen with him before. Vetiver took the stage after and Andy Cabic enchanted the crowd with his crooning vocals and finely constructed melodies. This was my first time seeing him and I was not disappointed. Also great was the audience of hippie-types prompting the band to comment how much better it was than playng to 10,000 flashing cell phones in your face as when they opened for Bright Eyes.

Tonight I'm off to Elbow at the Avalon. Judging by their new album, it should be great.

whrabbit