The Fall

Here comes the fall season and numerous artists, both local and otherwise, are lining up shows for September and October. In fact, October looks like the strongest month of the year (as it often is) with everyone from Grizzly Bear to O'Death coming back to town.

After Mew, Division Day and The Happy Hollows last week, things kick right back into high gear with a colossal "Hella Hipster Hoedown" on Friday, September 11 at the American Legion Post 206 in Highland Park featuring eight bands. Elaine Layabout's shows are always knock outs, but with bands like Telegraph Canyon, Crooked Cowboy, Les Blanks, Slings and more this will be a celebration. And the Post 206 is perfect because it can handle a big, rowdy crowd.

I was dithering back and forth about going to see Brendan Benson at The Troubadour on Saturday. I have really enjoyed his band's work and his terrific indie/folk/pop songwriting, before he ran off to join The Raconteurs, and have been wanting to see him for years, but when Frank Fairfield was announced as the opener, that clinched it and I bought a ticket. I saw Brendan with The Raconteurs at The Wiltern on September 20, 2006, but it didn't satisfy my urge to see Brendan Benson, so now I will get my chance. Frank Fairfield, I've seen a number of times, when he toured with Fleet Foxes and in clubs around town, but not for a while. So when I ran into him at The Echo a few weeks ago at the incredible J. Tillman show, I resolved to see him the next chance I got. I expect this to be a remarkable show.

Further along, on September 16, The French Semester, Rademacher and Downtown/Union play the Silver Lake Lounge, which is three incredible bands for the price of one. Radio Free Silver Lake is sending me to The Troubadour on the following night, Thursday, September 17, to review Sea Wolf, Afternoons and Sara Lov, each one worthy of headlining their own show (which they all often do), but together it'll be overwhelming. Sea Wolf and Afternoons are made up of the pieces of Irving (photo below by Gail Salmo), a band I really got into way back when I first got into the local scene ('05), and whose albums I still play. It will be grand to see them play together. And Sara Lov has been one of my fondest memories of discovering a band, when The Devics opened for The Black Heart Procession a few years ago at The Knitting Factory. I've been a fan ever since and have seen her solo many times. The next night I'm back at The Troubadour for Everest, The Parson Red Heads and These United States, for another round of three great bands. I should be pretty punch-drunk by this point bombarded by incredible music.

I want to go see Blitzen Trapper and Wye Oak at El Rey on September 28, but I haven't gotten my shit together to buy a ticket yet, and hope it won't sell out before I do.

October brings Loney, dear back to town for a date at The Troubadour on the 1st. The great Eagle Rock Music Festival on October 3 may see me announcing a band from the stage... which is daunting. Great Lake Swimmers play their first L.A.big-venue show (as far as I know) at El Rey on October 12, The Black Heart Procession on Sunday the 18th at Echoplex and Grizzly Bear at the Hollywood Palladium on the 20th.

But what I'm really looking forward to is the chance to see the New York band, Le Loup. They came to town, last time in 2008, to play The Echo on April 5 and I had just become obsessed with their incredible homemade-band jamboree sound. It's quite an experience live and I urge you not to miss it, Wednesday, October 28 at The Echo.

whrabbit