Aria Silva-Espinosa, Author at Jankysmooth

Aria Silva-Espinosa

Flames of Durga EP Release at The Satellite Continues Long L.A. Tradition

Aria Silva-Espinosa April 5, 2017

The L.A.music scene has been forever shaped and altered by the influence of strong female musicians. Flames of Durga is heavily influenced by the underground feminist Riot Grrrl movement, which led to their relationships with the other bands that played the EP release party. Rock and Roll history is rife with talented siblings and it’s not a coincidence that siblings compose and perform well in collaboration with one another. AC/DC’s Malcolm and Angus Young, Tegan and Sara, Alex and Eddie Van Halen and especially Heart’s Ann & Nancy Wilson are all fair comparisons to the firepower trio Flames of Durga. The group is charmingly fronted by twin sisters Cecilia and Beah who are accompanied by Nate Million on drums. The Satellite on Silverlake Boulevard hosted the EP release party where Flames of Durga shared the stage with other female-fronted rock bands before the sister’s first tour kicks off. related content: 2 Nights of The Julie Ruin At The Roxy- All Girls To…The Back Bar Stars At Night, an all-female rock group from East L.A. plays centered around their percussionist Joana Rubio. She plays like thunder and with driven consistency through the 80’s-inspired synth rock. Joana noted after the set that she

Spending Wednesday Nights in a Pirate Bar with Name The Band

Aria Silva-Espinosa March 28, 2017

The Name the Band residency at Redwood Bar & Grill has been very popular, which is evident in the number of people who showed up early for the third Wednesday of March’s show. The bar itself is punctuated by a large neon sign in the middle of 2nd street’s 300 block. Inside looks like the hull of a ship complete with ropes, portals and a giant deep sea diving mask. The stage sits at the back of the long, rectangular room. Booking bands who’s sound is designed for an intimate performance space and the available acoustics can be tricky but the lineup for this week promised a good time. The space itself isn’t very big so it caused quite a bit of commotion as Gatto Di Morte took the stage with three drummers, a saxophone player, keyboardist and various other assorted ensemble members. The whole entourage was costumed in everything from a sequin Santa suit to a giant prosthetic worm head. Assorted props were strewn across the stage as the band began tuning their instruments and running soundcheck, or so I though that was what was going on. Before I proceed, I must say I am a true believer in not

New Song Premier: Raj and the 100’s- ‘No Suicide’- Heartbreaking Beauty

Aria Silva-Espinosa March 21, 2017

We don’t really know much about who Raj Sabhlok is or where he came from but when we were sent the opportunity to premiere the first song in a series of 100, most of which were recorded in a recording studio owned by John Vanderslice. When we heard “No Suicide”, we were in. If you’re a fan of The Growlers, Kevin Morby and Devendra Banhart, you should love Raj and the 100’s. Let us know what you think! We all process loss differently; self-imposed isolation, submitting to one’s vices or even complete disassociation are not uncommon coping methods particularly in the early stages of grieving. Raj Sabhlok instead sought solace through the creation of Raj and the 100’s, a project which came about following the sudden passing of his parents. He traded the comfort of his home for and RV and spent two years traveling the United States, reflecting, exploring internally and exploring the vast wilderness along the way. For the duration of the his musical pilgrimage, Raj composed an impressive collection of about 300 songs. Eventually his journey landed him at Tiny Telephone, the San Francisco-based analog recording studios owned by songwriter/producer John Vanderslice. Vanderslice has recorded with a

UNIFORM & Black Marble at Union: The Mongrelization of Music Continues…

Aria Silva-Espinosa February 27, 2017

Tucked away amongst a row of small businesses and street vendors, the massive, multiple roomed venue called UNION is actually pretty easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. Even the marquee is unassuming amidst the flashing lights of the Pico-Union storefronts along the boulevard. Bright neon signs indicate that the Jewel Room awaits just past the side entrance and patio, still wet from the last few days of rain- a more perfectly planned setting for Black Marble and UNIFORM seemed impossible to imagine. Janky Smooth listed UNIFORM as a top 25 band to watch in 2017 so I believe it was the reason my request to cover this show was approved but I was most excited to cover Black Marble, a band that couldn’t sound ANY more different than UNIFORM. This should be interesting! Inside UNION, the stage is illuminated in light teal as the first act takes the stage. Anzano is a one-man act consisting of heavily distorted vocals, pre-recorded or triggered synth tracks and a giant flying-V shaped guitar that goes relatively ignored, save for a few sparse riffs. To compensate for the seeming limited musicality, Anzano is dressed in a sequin cape, chain mail cap

Sloppy Jane at The Smell: When Being A Mean Whore Became A Compliment

Aria Silva-Espinosa February 9, 2017

There isn’t much in the way of diverse options for those looking to loiter in Downtown L.A. alleyways. Well, unless you’re a crack head or an all ages indie music enthusiast, of course. You best believe that the alley that nestles the entrance of The Smell is the cleanest alley east of Figueroa, though. Amidst a turbulent and emotional month for essentially everyone and a year of uncertainty since the demolition notice first darkened it’s doorway, it was the front of the building’s street-facing facade that gave street lurkers and fledgling music journalists the eye candy they were looking for- a fresh coat of paint that was used to paint a mural depicting happy cartoon protesters supporting a litany of issues that weigh heavy on the minds of those that frequent and volunteer at The Smell. Above the door in bold black letters is the rallying cry “NOT OUR PRESIDENT”. I believe it’s the first time I’ve seen The Smell with any distinguishable markings on the street side of the building. A lot of change in the air. Related Article : The Rally To Save The Smell And The Horrid History Of DIY Venues In L.A. This particular block in the heart

Ty Segall & The Freedom Band Blow Minds at Secret Show at The Griffin

Aria Silva-Espinosa January 16, 2017

Wednesday night was standing-room only at The Griffin in Los Feliz, an unusual bar scene for a weeknight but a flyer posted to @grifinbarla on instagram yielded heavy traffic for the venue early in the night for yet another, little publicized Ty Segall, “secret show.” (check out the video of the unreleased song “We Know?” set to be released at the end of the year) According to the guys working the door, people got there as early at 6:30 to ensure entry. Although regarded as a secret, it’s safe to say social media circulation does a lot for show publicity even on short notice. As this becomes increasingly common, music fans are well-advised to show up early to gigs like this unless you wanna be the sad late arrival begging your friends via text to help get you past the line. From the entry way, you couldn’t see any of the four walls of the low-lit venue. It was next to impossible to work the room for lack of passing space, the bar was stacked three deep at each well and forget about trying to smoke a cigarette because the patio was laden with so much secondhand smoke you

Santoros record release for "El Perdedor"

Santoros Record Release w/ Cutty Flam, Cigarette Bums & Solar Sons

Aria Silva-Espinosa January 5, 2017

The Echo was decorated with pinatas and streamers with the words “El Perdedor” in metallic mylar balloon across the top of the stage for the release party for Santoros 3rd Album. Initially, the crowd was thin and only about a quarter of those in attendance by the end of the night were present for the opening sets. That didn’t seem to dissuade.Cigarette Bums, who took the stage as the first set to play songs off their new record due next month on Lolipop Records. The most outstanding quality of Cigarette Bums is how well-rehearsed their live sets are and the stoic, yet enthusiastic stage presence they exude. Musically, the band is driven by steady percussion with an upbeat tempo, giving the impression of the kind of band you wish would’ve played your high school prom, which seemed to be the theme for the night. There is a sense of urgency in the performance in a sense that they simply cannot wait to share their music with the audience. “We just love to play with our friends and we want to do that as much as possible”, says Steven Carrera, frontman of Cigarette Bums. Steven went on to tell me,

Midnight Mass 2: Dystopian Themed Xmas Fest in an LBC Warehouse

Aria Silva-Espinosa December 14, 2016

Downtown Long Beach hosted the second edition of Midnight Mass at The Packard, a creative space venue featuring large crystal chandeliers and an outdoor patio space decorated with vibrant murals. The venue’s generous space and even all-gender indoor restrooms set the vibe for the very best of what a DIY music festival can and should be. A 12-hour festival is a lot to put together, but Astro Lizard Records and Freakstyle Booking worked tirelessly to put together a solid lineup with a bit of something for everyone in attendance. As with generally any type of performance, the set times ran a little behind schedule but nobody seemed to mind. The weather was accommodating and a crowd gathered early in the day to watch Nectarines on the outdoor stage a little after 2:00pm. Intense but lighthearted power-punk group Clit Kat, fronted by the ever-charming Mag, took the outdoor stage and revved up our engines for the day with songs about sucking, fucking and having fantasies involving Steve Buscemi. Onlookers passing by on the street even stopped to watch Mag tear it up on stage, with heavy percussion and lyrics that make people delightfully uncomfortable. Clit Kat and some of it’s members,