An Incredible Weekend Of Music

I may have missed the FYF FEST, but I had a weekend festival of my own at the Lot 1 on Saturday night and at Bootleg Bar on Sunday. I was hoping for the best on Saturday as I inaugurated the first Saturday of the monthly series of shows I hope to present at Lot 1 from now on, and into the future. I was flying by the seat of my pants, but as soon as Omar Velasco began his set, I relaxed and saw this was off to a good start. When I first heard Omar at Judson McKinney's residency at The Central back on August 2nd, I was instantly a fan, and I remember running up to him afterward and blathering some compliments at him and practically begging him to come play my first show.

Omar Velasco is one of the most remarkable talents that nobody knows about yet, so it is always going to be a source of pride to me that he led off with the first set on the first night of my Feed Your Head nights at Lot 1. It was a perfect start to a really swell night of music that pulled in a respectable crowd, in spite of the competition, so I was pleased. Those who were lucky enough to get there early were as impressed as I have been by Omar Velasco, who has one of the best voices around, with striking vocal control, that is matched by his varied and accomplished songwriting skills. When you hear his EP, See Lion Run, you will be equally impressed with how he has filled out his sound for the recording, adding layers of feeling and mood through orchestration.

There was a bit of a break as we resolved sound issues for Dirt Bird, but once they got underway, Lot 1 was gently lifted off-earth for a trip around the universe, bouyed by the ethereal and dreamlike vocals of Claire Mckeown and Athena LeGrand, aided by their harmonium, keyboard and drum. I had been longing to hear this band ever since Claire sent me their EP, Summer Night Hours, which I reviewed at Radio Free Silver Lake, but I don't think I was adequately prepared for the group hypnosis they perpetrated on the audience.

From the moment they began, a hush fell over the room, punctuated only by the vigorous applause each song received. Ordinarily each voice is individually miked, but our spare set up on Saturday required Claire and Athena to share a mike, but I think it worked out beautifully as their distance from the mike created an almost church-like echo quality that suited the songs well. Perfect for what they aptly self-describe as "sacred music for secular people", they manage to be creatively bold and daring while keeping the audience soothed and comfortable. These ladies are after my heart. I'm especially glad that Dirt Bird is set for a show at Hotel Cafe tonight (to make up for the cancelled Sunset Junction/Hotel Cafe sponsored show). I'll be at the front on the line.

Death To Anders was the headliner for the show and Rob Danson (Zoe-Ruth Erwin's photo at right) took the opportunity to play a lot of new music, which is incredibly good (the four-track sampler I got from him is proof of that). He'd promised a laid back, slightly restrained set to match the rest of the program, but what we got was a powerfully good performance, full of the throbbing intensity and dense storytelling we've come to expect from him. His song "Odessa" is a real winner.

Judson McKinney rounded out the evening with another perfect sounding set, after a week which has included three or four other shows around town for them. And their hard work is paying off with an ever-growing base of fans and and a performance style that is simultaneously relaxed and beautifully structured. Sheridan Riley's drumming displayed her usual polish (and this after playing with Avi Buffalo at FYF earlier in the day), John Seasons provides thundering bass support and the duets between Judson and Mary and her violin were as stunning as ever. All in all, the wide variety and quality of the musical acts made the evening a complete success for me.

The following night was the Torches video release party at Bootleg Bar presented by Radio Free Silver Lake and with another fabulous line up of bands. Summer Twins began with a strong set of indie alt/country which was tightly played and sung with passion and energy. A rousing good opening. Seasons are trying to lay low for a little while, but no one will let them. They showed up to support their good friends in Torches and went the extra distance by introducing a few new songs. All of them good.

On the back patio to chat with friends, the party took off to a point where, I'm embarrassed to admit, when I returned to the Bar, the video was already over. Torches played one of the loudest and most emphatic sets I've ever seen from them and it was like watching a band get bigger right before your eyes. I've since seen the video and it is a wonderfully imaginative take on dental hygiene and bondage...I think. (Note the Volkswagon in the photo at right, which plays a supporting role in the video)

Usually the last band plays to a dwindling audience as people wander toward the exits. Not so with Naive Thieves. Once they began, there was no way to tear yourself away. They are so good and play such catchy and intelligent rock that the whole crowd was transported. I seemed to be one of the few people there who had seen them before, so it was fun to see everyone flabbergasted by this group. With a twangy/surfy '60s sound they twist the audience around their finger making us willing to follow them anywhere.

When I saw them back at the beginning of August at Lot 1, I was equally impressed and chatted with them, getting their EP, Le Sheik Rhat, and hoping to see them again. Since listening to the album and becoming familiar with the songs, it only increased my appreciation for what their doing. Naive Thieves is a band with a future, make no mistake. I think I experienced acute musical perfection this weekend.

whrabbit

Re-Reminder: Torches Have A Show Sunday

O.K., So I read Jed's terrific interview with Torches (In Trees) over at Radio Free Silver Lake, and I realized I had been resisting the notion that they would change their name from Torches In Trees to, simply, Torches, but I can see the logic in it now. Not only is it streamlined, but it's also a reflection of their history.

If I'm not mistaken, there were five band members the first couple of times I saw Torches In Trees, back in Dec. of '08 at Mr. T's Bowl and January of '09 at the old Hollywood Knitting Factory, and I loved them then. The CD I got at the time lists five musicians. By the end of 2009, I think they were down to four, and now there are three. Ordinarily, the addition and subtraction of band members can have a profound negative or positive effect. And I've seen both.

With Torches, it has had a solidifying effect. Their music has become more focused while maintaining that psychedelic edge that I fell in love with at the beginning. I was totally impressed with their earlier performances, but now I find them life-affirming and moving. The music is that beautiful. Individually and collectively, Azad, Eric and Bridgette mean a lot to me.

That is why I'm so happy that Radio Free Silver Lake is hosting the video release party for their first video at Bootleg Bar on Sunday. And there's no work the next day because of Labor Day, so no excuses.

whrabbit

Feed Your Head Begins Monthly Shows

I wanted to wait to write this column until the flyer was done. Taking a bunch of disparate elements and collaging them into a psychedelic poster was more time consuming than I anticipated but here it is:

I jumped at the chance to begin presenting my own shows when Eileen at Lot 1 asked if I wanted to. Having enjoyed doing the weekly Free Tuesdays at LaBrie's for six months with Radio Free Silver Lake, I was glad to have the chance to learn how to do it from the ground up.

First up is Death To Anders as headliners, which is entirely appropriate as Rob Danson was one of the first musicians I got to know, back at Boardner's, which he sang a song about the other day...I think. Together with Dirt Bird, who's pedigree goes back through other vocally powerful bands, Shadow Shadow Shade, back through Irving, who I also saw over and over, these two bands represent my early years in the music scene, say 2007, 2008.

Judson McKinney has been such a strong addition to L.A.'s music, that he and Mary and his band are one of the greatest finds of the past year. And he always surrounds himself with a lot of my favorite musicians. Omar Velasco was introduced to me through Judson at his residency at The Central in August and I was immediately struck by the quality of the songwriting and his strong and disciplined voice. I asked him a day later to be a part of this show. They represent how vibrant the music scene still is and point the way to the future.

Come on out to Lot 1 on Saturday night, September 3, and enjoy some of the finest this town has to offer.

whrabbit

Sunset Junction...It's a Wrap

Being a late-comer to the local rock and roll scene (After six years, maybe I have to stop calling myself that), I only attended my first Sunset Junction in 2006. It was already a paying event, so I wasn't even aware it had ever been free. I didn't know it's history, nor had I ever been much of a participant in community affairs for a couple of decades.

For the first year of my music journey, I really wandered alone around the fringes, allowing one band to lead me to another and one show to open up the door to more shows. Until the Sunset Junction of August 2006 I was going to between 4 to 7 shows each month, but this was the first festival I had gone to since Woodstock, and at that point I was desperate to hear as many new local bands as I could find. I was following Earlimart, Irving and Great Northern around at that time (in fact, the three bands were on the same bill at El Cid on May 20, 2006, a fantastic show) and they were the first local bands I became obsessed with. I had worked up the courage to go up to them after their sets and say 'hello, I like your music', but I was too intimidated by their talent to allow the conversation to go much further.

So, I went to the 2006 Sunset Junction on Saturday, Aug. 26 to see Great Northern. The weather was perfect, the crowd was sparse and friendly during the day, spray tents were set up to combat the relentless sun, the beer was refreshing and the music was sublime. I'd also quit cigarettes a couple of weeks before, and I was really starting to notice the positive health effects. Everything conspired to make a perfect day. One after another band took the Bates Stage and each one impressed me. The Minor Canon, The Little Ones, Monsters Are Waiting and Lavender Diamond all won me over and I was ecstatic. Becky Stark made me feel like I'd fallen down the rabbit hole and awakened in a Disney-inspired, fevered acid dream. I took a break, ate some food and watched The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (who didn't do much for me) and then Eels, who completely blew me away.

After that experience my concert-going shot up to nearly a dozen a month, and continued to escalate to my normal 3-5 shows a week over the next year. And I (almost) never missed another Sunset Junction...until this year. By 2007, I was starting to meet musicians so some of the bands had members I'd met and was beginning to know, so I was glad to see Division Day, The Pity Party, The Parson Red Heads, The Broken West and Sea Wolf.

Things started to really escalate once I began this blog in May, 2008, after realizing my passions were shifting and my future belonged to the music world. I wanted to be able to participate and give something back, and it was one of the best decisions of my life. By the time of the 2008 Festival it became, basically, just hanging around with friends, and the bands were Bodies of Water, Castledoor, The Happy Hollows, Radars To the Sky and one of the headliners, Menomena. Another great time that ended up going late into the night as I sat in the balcony at El Cid with members of Walking Sleep (at the time called The Flying Tourbillion Orchestra) watching Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros at one in the morning. Unforgettable.

In 2009, I skipped Sunset Junction because I was presenting my first FEED YOUR HEAD show for the EP release of Summer by Seasons at Pehrspace on Saturday August 22, 2009, so I had to miss the Festival. By the time I went back to it last year, things had changed. It was getting bigger and more crowded and frankly, too spread out. I ran between the two stages at the far ends and managed to see Moses Campbell, Pollyn, Andy Clockwise, Eastern Conference Champions and Everest. All bands killed it and it was a lot of fun, I even managed to go back on Sunday and see Leslie Stevens and the Badgers and Red Cortez, but something had changed.

But for it to go down this way was disappointing. Whatever the quibbles and complaints of residents, the apparent mismanagement at the top of the organization and the city's thinly veiled contempt for the event itself, all combined to bring the end of an era. I'd be surprised to see it ever rise again, and at least we have many alternative and interesting attractions that involve street fairs and music. I'm still sorry to see it ended. It was, especially in those first years I went, a rare and gratifying opportunity to rub shoulders with many of the different communities that make up this fabulous city of ours. The chance to just relax in the sunshine and be overwhelmed by wonderful bands.

People are scrambling all around to try to find venues and theatres for the stranded bands to play in, and I applaud their efforts. I only hope the musicians are the last ones to suffer any hardship because of this. Anyway let's look forward and I'll see you at The Eagle Rock Music Festival and Street Fair.

Late Update: There is a mad scramble to play weekend shows all over town, particularly on the east side. Kevin Bronson is doing a fantastic job of getting the information out there. Keep checking Buzzbands for the latest news.

whrabbit

Torches Video Release Party

Here's the flyer for what promises to be a very special night:

As a member of the Radio Free Silver Lake community, I am super happy to be helping to host the evening. Following Torches In Trees around over the past two plus years, I first saw them in December, 2008 at Mr. T's Bowl at an Is Good Music show and again on January 17, 2009 at The Knitting Factory which really clinched it for me. Their dreamy, hypnotic, trance-inducing music always leaves me in a better place than when they begin their set. I've been a die-hard fan ever since and have only seen this band get better and better. Azad Chiekosman is a veritable fountain of songwriting talent as they keep turning out new songs each time I see them. And it's especially fun to see them win over whole new groups of fans every show they play.

whabbit

Oh Shit!

According to the latest reports on Monday, August 22 at 1:15PM, this year's Sunset Junction is cancelled for the moment. There will be another meeting on Wednesday to see if the Festival committee has been able to come up with the additional $141,000 in fees required by the city.

I'll post more when I know more...

whrabbit

The Happy Holllows are back at The Satellite

Come on out tonight and see The Happy Hollows as they return to the local stage with a new drummer. Also on the bill, Dirt Dress, Pek Pek and Gentle Hands. This will be an enormously entertaining evening.

Just to make it a little easier, Radio Free Silver Lake is having a Ticket Giveaway right here.

whrabbit