Dillon Vaughn, Author at Jankysmooth

Dillon Vaughn

Sweet Existential Melancholy: Animal Collective at the Greek Theatre

Dillon Vaughn May 31, 2022

With a tour highlighting the recently released Time Skiffs record, Animal Collective seized the opportunity to bring the playful collage-esque themes of the record to life. There’s always been a level of sincerity and child-like wonder in the quartet’s output that’s sorely missed in the majority of music released by their contemporaries and it’s exactly what keeps AnCo fresh. Album after album they’ve managed to effectively bridge disorienting experimentation with pop-comfort; a feat that honestly astounds me when I consider how accessible and widely known they’ve been over the span of their career. related content: Silver Lake Perris: Desert Daze 2019 Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Deakin, and Geologist have each grown so much in their craft and it’s a blast hearing some of my favorites from Strawberry Jam and Merriweather Post Pavilion live again. The pure joy exuded by everyone on stage truly is infectious and a quick glance at the audience revealed nothing but the smiling faces of an adoring crowd. Avey’s shifting vocal style hits a perfect mark between catchy melody and abrasive frenzy while Panda Bear and Deakin’s vocal leads consistently shift perspective and tone at the perfect moment. Implied by the title of the new album, the idea of drifting across a

Your Baroness’ Majesty: Baroness at The Echo

Dillon Vaughn April 20, 2022

John Baizley and co. rolled through Echo Park recently for “An Evening with Baroness.” Pitched as a special “by request” tour, the Your Baroness run has given fans in each city the opportunity to vote and select ten songs from the band’s rich catalogue to form the first half of the extended setlist each night. related content: Hell or High Roller: Psycho Las Vegas 2021 John’s work as an illustrator has always given an interesting picture of how his brain perceives the world around him. The Appalachian roars of Baroness’ earlier days served as the defining framework of the “Savannah Sound” – something nearly inseparable from John’s contemporary art-nuveau cover art. Those lush depictions of flora and fauna drifting weightlessly across countless LP covers have seeped into the music more and more over the years as the songs themselves have become increasingly melodic, anthemic, and dare I say uplifting. On stage these days it’s clear Baizley and his bandmates take great pride and meaning in their music as they play every note with a balance of grace and heaviness. Their strength definitely lies in their range: skillful restraint as they perform sleeper tracks like “Cocainium” and “Little Things” versus palpable

The Final Piece: Puzzle at The Vermont

Dillon Vaughn March 23, 2022

As usual, Minty Boi has been killing it with their bookings, maintaining the crown of the most forward thinking promoter in LA. Catching a rare set by Fletcher Shears’ solo endeavor Puzzle at the recently opened Vermont Hollywood truly felt like a leap into a new era thanks to both the music and the venue itself. related content: The Growlers Reclaim Castle Beach Goth And All Is Right With The World Again The Garden have a unique reputation because they’ve managed to become increasingly accessible while simultaneously cramming more dissonant and challenging elements into their music. The frequently mentioned 20+ solo records released over the years by Fletcher is absolutely a noteworthy feat, but even more impressive is how varied those releases manage to be while clearly maintaining their creator’s fingerprints. Throughout most of the night the entire crowd in the Vermont bounced in unison and collectively lost their shit while screaming along with the lyrics to every single song on the setlist – something you hardly ever see in the city with the biggest reputation for low attendance and an abundance of crossed arms and bored gazes. related content: … And We’ll Pretend It’s Christmas Day At The Roxy

The True Cutting Edge: A2B2 Night of Fire 2 w/Arca and Andy Morin at Catch One

Dillon Vaughn December 11, 2021

Initially founded as a blog by Andy Morin, A2B2 has morphed and grown into an online magnet attracting a vast pool of young outsider artists hungry for representation not found in the “alternative” appeal of contemporary publications like Juxtapoz and Hi-Fructose. With limited print runs satisfying our tactile needs and a healthy online community providing a showcase for all things digital – Night of Fire 2 represents a first step into the physical realm for what I hope will continue to be an annual gathering + celebration of the true cutting edge. As the audio engineer of Death Grips there’s a certain (rabid) fanbase that follows Morin’s work – and anyone that’s ever seen any DG shitposting group knows that these people go absolutely apeshit for Kero Kero Bonito. Well worthy of sharing a bill (and surprisingly a perfect fit) Kero Kero Bonito set a high bar for the night and reminded me how exciting left field booking can be. The general public’s recent fascination with classic J-pop only furthered how stoked everyone in the crowd was to see someone carrying the torch and delivering near punishing positivity and -good vibes-, something the British trio was years ahead of the

100% Banger: George Clanton’s NYE Spectacular at the Lodge Room

Dillon Vaughn January 16, 2020

New Years Eve is both a blessing and a curse for anyone looking for a good time in the city: most people opt for overpriced cover charges to enter the same shitty bars they frequent every other night of the year while a significant group of others gather for house parties and closely knit hangs. Truly special events seem to be few and far between (what person with any sense of taste would choose to attend an electro-swing dance party and why do these things happen every year?) With 100% certainty I can say 100% Electronica assembled the most wild, intense, and sincere event to close out the decade with this show at the Lodge Room and I can’t imagine spending the night any other way. related content: Silver Lake Perris: Desert Daze 2019 Support for the evening began with Death’s Dynamic Shroud, a duo collaging all aspects of digital culture to produce a warped take on R&B, as well as the solo act VAPERROR, whose inverted spin on trap catapulted my music tastes ahead to 2050. Perfectly fitting choices for the lineup as these are two acts who’ve proven time and time again to be holding it down and

Japanese Day Dream: Shintaro Sakamoto at Terrapin Crossroads

Dillon Vaughn November 6, 2019

Finally seeing an artist you’ve been following for a decade has a strange, dreamlike feeling and it’s compounded by the film of “otherness” that coats anything and everything about cultures separate from your own. Language barriers add a level of mystique you could never attain through ultra savvy, targeted press or gimmicks with masks and an aversion to interviews. Effort is required to understand the finesse beyond the purely sonic: lyrics mean nothing when words themselves (or at least an english speaker’s understanding of them) are stripped away and you’re left with the surface appeal of a melody, devoid of any metaphor or meaning to juxtapose conflicting themes. The quality of songwriting is the key to elevating artists like that to a point where they can succeed in the west. Following a growing appreciation in America for his contemporaries, Shintaro Sakamoto, the visual artist/designer and former leader of the band Yura Yura Teikoku finally made his US debut with two sold out shows in the San Francisco area to dazzle everyone in attendance. related content: UFOs From Tokyo: California Flashback At The Lodge Room Terrapin Crossroads is kind of a strange place; part venue, part farm-to-table restaurant nestled behind a Porsche dealership just a short

Hardcore Hypebeasts at Hell Rey: Scarlxrd at El Rey

Dillon Vaughn September 21, 2019

As a fan of mixed bills I’ve found myself admiring the output of SCARLXRD, the British youtuber-turned-musician creating an ultra refreshing blend of the soundcloud ethos and hyper aggressive vocals expanding upon the intensity of everything between hardcore and nu-metal. Unfortunately, I missed his initial sold out appearance at The Roxy a few months back but was delighted to be notified of a return to LA at The El Rey. Presented by Goldenvoice, the night far surpassed my expectations moments after Scarlxrd and his infectious hype man took the stage and drove the audience wild. This isn’t anything like the rap-metal of the past critics are so quick to compare it to. There’s a fresh spark in the presentation of everything that perfectly embodies the current state of independent music: the openness and flexibility when blending genres and tones to create catchy yet aggressive tracks that appeal to hardcore kids and hypebeasts alike. related content: Anarchy’s Monarch: Scarlxrd At The Roxy With so much material released in such little time (seven albums in three years with an eighth scheduled to be released in two weeks) it’s amazing to see how equally received every corner of his catalogue is. Even

The Ultimate Residency: Ty Segall & Freedom Band at Teragram

Dillon Vaughn August 11, 2019

The second night of Ty Segall‘s MASSIVE 10 week residency at The Teragram Ballroom was a perfect juxtaposition of the now classic, simple songwriting and garage riffs of 2010 paired with the refined and experimental material of a maturing artist. related content: Ty Segall & The Freedom Band Blows Minds At Secret Show At The Griffin Backed by an ensemble of familiar LA musicians performing as The Freedom Band, Ty and Co. set the evening in motion with a blazing rendition of the entirety of the recently released album First Taste. The Freedom Band (consisting of Mikal Cronin, Charles Moothart, Emmet Kelley, and Shannon Lay [perfectly adding six strings to the press-buzz generating “guitarless album”]) cast new light on an already new release by significantly boosting the energy of every single track. A swelling electric rendition of the a capella Ice Plant, now complete with percussion and strings, stands out as a highlight of the evening and a prime example of the power of live performance. Feeding upon the excitement of the audience and playing harder or with more feeling is the cycle that makes it more than just “songs from the album, but live.” It’s the entire purpose of seeing music in person and

Iron Eagle: Blaze Bayley at the Whisky

Dillon Vaughn May 21, 2019

On an earlier evening in May, the Whisky-a-Go-Go buzzed with some of the most fiercely devoted fans I’ve ever seen at the venue. What appeared to be a modest following was actually a concentrated group of true die-hards ecstatic to catch a gig by the legendary vocalist, Blaze Bayley. Conversations overheard before the band took the stage all seemed to point toward a drunken consensus – the crowd was determined to take Blaze to the Rainbow after the gig and get completely wasted with him. Stories were told about past drives out of state and flights out of the country to witness his performances and spoken languages hinted how far many of those in attendance traveled for that very night (after all, these are Iron Maiden fans – a group that truly appreciates the value of a performance, and catching a set in a small club by the former singer of the group is no small event.) Eager chants of “BLAZE” grew to a venue wide roar the moment the man of the evening peered down at the crowd from atop the balcony and signaled the show was finally going to begin. related content: Satan’s First Born: Possessed At The Whisky

Doom in Paradise: Psycho Smokeout at Catch One

Dillon Vaughn May 11, 2019

Nearly two years ago Psycho Entertainment began teasing the return of Psycho California – the fest that ran its initial three years proving itself and building its reputation in Orange County before being taken away from us by Sin City. Despite the slight name change, the fresh presentation of the inaugural Psycho Smokeout lived up to the reputation of its predecessor with a streamlined experience and highly curated lineup of Psycho alumni and first timers alike. related content: Catch One Hell Of A Night With Integrity And Pageninetynine Presented By Psycho Entertainment With a lineup filled with Janky favorites it’s hard to decide where to begin. The stacked scheduling fueled a rush through the maze-like floorplan of Union granting access to rooms and passageways I’d never even known existed. Each twist and turn through black painted halls seemed to bring me to another section of the club where something insane was happening: three separate rooms with live music (one of which included pole dancers), a smaller room with burlesque shows, live glass blowing outside, walls of merch, and a corner devoted to Painkiller Kim DJing next to an (unfortunately out of order) Icee machine. (Apparently the Icee guy never arrived

84 Ways to Die: Horrendous at the Echo

Dillon Vaughn April 28, 2019

Eighty-Four has quickly become a brand indicating quality booking of local, national, and international acts alike and the recent Horrendous + Of Feather and Bone mini-tour kickoff at the Echo showed no signs of that changing any time soon. Local support acts for the evening were some of LA’s top up and coming underground acts including the buzz-worthy Mortal Wound, mean as hell two piece Encoffinized, and the pummeling rifflords Kommand. Of Feather and Bone are an excellent introduction to the Denver scene and a perfect example of the difference in style between the mile high city and LA. Their set at the Echo was concise and crushing: a clear result of a well refined act marking their place by giving the uninitiated a no holds barred beating. In a genre so focused on being the most extreme, bands like Horrendous stand out as a breath of fresh air. There’s a clear progression in style and complexity in their recorded material that’s allowed them to reach their current pinnacle with 2018’s Idol. In a live setting the songs are fully realized with an added layer of infections excitement; it’s clear they’re truly having fun performing. Without a doubt these guys are

This too Shall Pass: Black Moth Super Rainbow at the Observatory

Dillon Vaughn April 10, 2019

There’s an emotional rollercoaster interwoven throughout the textures of Tom Fec’s musical output: Black Moth Super Rainbow and Tobacco are two vastly different entities with approaches to music that manage a balance between melancholic nostalgia and aggressive experimentation, all while composing a distinct musical language entirely unique to it’s creator. As the Panic Blooms tour cycle nears it’s end, Tobacco has revealed he’ll be shelving BMSR once again (at least until he feels compelled to revive the project once more.) With that news I knew I had to attend one of the final California dates at the Observatory in Santa Ana. related content: UFOs From Tokyo California Flashback At The Lodge Room With studio material so gently nuanced it’s hard to imagine how a band could translate the material in an amplified setting. Thankfully the group has always managed to present the material live in new ways with a sense of renewed energy – all while maintaining the sense of intimacy that is so crucial to these compositions. The setlist in rotation this time pulls from songs throughout their entire catalog and gives enough new material to keep anyone that saw them on the first leg of the tour last year entertained. One