Dillon Vaughn, Author at Jankysmooth

Dillon Vaughn

UFOs From Tokyo: California Flashback at the Lodge Room

Dillon Vaughn April 8, 2019

Years ago while searching the web for specific sounds from mostly undiscovered bands (to me, at least) from places I’ve never been lead me to a treasure trove of material that’s remained unmatched: PSF records. A very finely curated label operating in Tokyo under direction of the late Hideo Ikeezumi, PSF amassed a catalog of Japan’s underground legends since the mid 80s and continued providing a home for psychedelic and experimental works until Ikeezumi’s death in 2017. Black Editions, a somewhat recently formed boutique label based in LA, began reissuing classic selections from this catalog just before Ikeezumi passed. Operating as a magnet for some of these performers that very rarely (if ever) perform outside of Japan, it feels as if Black Editions has been building toward a perfect show highlighting PSF and it’s contributions to the underground. With the recent reissue of the definitive compilation TOKYO FLASHBACK, it made perfect sense for the label to host a two city festival (appropriately titled) California Flashback. related content: L.A. Buffs Up: Angel Du$t At The Lodge Room With a lineup populated by PSF alumni and associates alike, the two nights occurring in LA at the Lodge Room guaranteed a face melting

Sane Clown Posse: ICP’s Album Release at the Regent

Dillon Vaughn February 28, 2019

The Regent Theater in Downtown LA was recently graced by the gods of Psychopathic Records themselves: Insane Clown Posse. Making an appearance as the hosts of one of their many album release events nationwide on the night Fearless Fred Fury hit shelves, the most wicked clowns took the stage to show some love to the often neglected west coast legion of Juggalos. related content: Whoop Whoop! ICP’s Slam Fest At The Regent: A Family Affair Of the many performances from various regional acts the most striking was theatrical industrial/synth duo Luna 13 who equally enchanted and bored the audience to tears. The edgy theatrical elements quickly wore themselves thin and all that was left was a series of monotone tracks that fell somewhere between Author and Punisher, Otep, and the clearance bin at Hot Topic. This was definitely not the show/audience for this band, but even if it were somewhere else a striptease isn’t a substitution for inventive or soulful music in any situation. related content: Children Of The Night: Doyle At The Whisky With the last minute announcement of the one off show and minimal promotion, most fans weren’t even sure if ICP were actually performing or just showing up to

Noah’s Arkestra: Panda Bear at the Lodge Room

Dillon Vaughn February 27, 2019

Panda Bear (aka Noah Lennox of Animal Collective) recently brought the Buoys Tour to the Lodge Room in Highland Park with support from Flaccid Mojo for two sold out nights of pink tinted audiovisual insanity. related content: A Return Full Of Firsts: Deerhunter At The Lodge Room Highland Park Flaccid Mojo are a strange compliment to AnCo; they recently opened for the group (minus Panda Bear) at the Vista Theater with a massively disorienting set at a volume loud enough to shake material loose from the ceiling. What seemed like an odd choice as an opener for a night focused on the reflective and spacy Tangerine Reef became much more understandable when paired with the live presentation of Lennox’s chaotic solo act. Accented with minimal stage lighting and projections of texturally grotesque collected footage, the sounds emanating from the experimental electronic duo (consisting of members of Black Dice) formed an enticingly abrasive foundation commanding the crowd to move. This is an act I’d love to see in the seediest after hours spot in LA: some place with décor and an audience as primitive and brutish as the music and willing to be completely receptive to it. related content: Animal Collective Drip Sound And Color On

Don’t Fear the Weird: Fidlar’s Record Release at Teragram

Dillon Vaughn February 4, 2019

Despite 2019 being the 10th anniversary of Fidlar‘s existence, I first heard the band around two years ago while on tour (late to the game, I know.) We were driving somewhere through the Carolinas in a rattling van formerly used to shuttle the homeless out of LA and all six of us were hungover as hell. With four of the bandmates passed out in the back, I was riding shotgun and taking in the sights while my friend that was driving cued up Fidlar’s 2015 record Too and began singing along in that kind of raspy voice you have after a long night out. Something about the tone of that album – the wistfulness, pacing, and honesty about facing adulthood resonated perfectly with the moment. Almost Free, the album being celebrated and released recently at the Teragram marked a new direction for the band that captured their interest in exploring new song structures and instrumentation and allowed this show to highlight other LA bands approaching music with a similar attitude. related content: Family, Friends, FIDLAR: A Punk Rock Love Fest At The Observatory “Don’t Fear the Weird,” the motto scrawled in red across Brandon Schwartzel’s bass guitar summed up both the new direction for

The Legend of Magic Sword at the Echo

Dillon Vaughn January 7, 2019

Los Angeles has no shortage of synth-wave acts rolling through the city: venue calendars are littered with events hosting artists both well known and up and coming, but the quality is sometimes questionable in a genre that so easily falls into one-note nostalgia. Not too long ago, I didn’t care for the sub-genre much but I’ve since seen the light and witnessed quite a few acts that truly blew me away. I’d heard quite a bit about Magic Sword from (mostly metalhead) friends who praised their intense live show and use of live instruments and knew this would be an event I had to see for myself. related content: The Protomen: Mega Men on a Mission at the Echoplex The night began with a set by one of the most surprising acts I’d seen all year: the local one woman project Death Hags. Self described as “hypnotic art-pop,” Lola Jean’s act beautifully mixed elements of trip-hop with synth-wave through a gentle minimalist lens. Shifting from synths to bass guitar and more all while singing in both english and french, it’s hard to believe Death Hags isn’t yet a household name in the city. related content: Decibel Metal & Beet Fest After Party: Ghoul At El

Windhand Worship at El Rey Theatre

Dillon Vaughn November 8, 2018

Windhand and Satan’s Satyrs recently played at the El Rey in support of their recently released albums as well as the shared split produced earlier this year. related content: The Protomen: Mega Men On A Mission At The Echoplex Satan’s Satyrs lost some of my attention as they strayed from their most aggressive qualities after releasing Wild Beyond Belief but I found it impossible not to enjoy their performance that night. On display was a more experienced assemblage of the wild hunger they once had: this wasn’t a band trying to prove anything, they were here to shred. It was easy to find appreciation for the new material while witnessing a group that seemed lost (and discovered) somewhere in time between T. Rex and a Hammer horror induced freakout. Clayton Burgess, the group’s leader and bassist, has obviously learned a lot and found a perfect level of comfort on stage after landing the role of the bassist of Electric Wizard. That being said, his bandmates never seem secondary to the balanced performance and their staying power lies in their ability to truly have a sound of their own. related content: Virtually No Dust: Desert Daze 2018 Windhand’s appeal is unique amongst their

The Protomen: Mega Men on a Mission at the Echoplex

Dillon Vaughn October 31, 2018

There are so many opportunities to see new acts pushing the limits of their respective genres and niches I find it hard to believe anyone can say they’ve actually “heard it all,” especially when the person saying that is living in a major city. Even looking past the one-off performances unique to LA it’s easy to get a glimpse of the countless acts touring across the US to play for fans extremely passionate about their shared interests. There’s a call for music beyond the played out gates of psych and shoegaze that surround Echo Park (and the east-side as a whole.) A call thankfully answered by The Protomen, Makeup and Vanity Set, and Bit Brigade. related content: Chiptune Leveling Up At Freq. Fest: 8bitLA 6.0 At The Smell Upon walking into the Echoplex that evening I was immediately introduced to something I’ve never seen at a show before: the use of Mega Man II as an instrument. Well, not quite an instrument, but a visual guide for the instrumental renditions of the themes present in the game as a member of the Athens, GA based Bit Brigade performed a (nearly flawless) speed-run of the game on a projected screen alongside his bandmates.

Virtually No Dust: Desert Daze 2018

Dillon Vaughn October 23, 2018

It’s impossible to talk about Desert Daze 2018 without discussing the previous year at it’s former location in the high desert. My personal experience as a visitor to DD 17 is unmatched by any other festival I’ve ever attended. The lineup was insane, the installations were engaging, and the location truly felt like it held some kind of spectacular aura. I’ve never understood the appeal of the Joshua Tree getaways Angelenos fiend for and I’m absolutely disgusted by the false bohemian ideology perpetuated by burners (and Burning Man as a whole) but for a brief three days in the high desert it all clicked for me. related content: Desert Daze 2017 Headline Here: Some Variation’s Of Rock’s Not Dead The Institute of Mentalphysics was a challenging place for some because of the of its sporadic dust storms and painfully low temperatures at night, so it seemed like a great idea to find a location closer to the city that still maintained a sense of the desert – minus the harsh elements. Cue the announcement of DD 2018 staking its new home alongside the manmade reservoir Lake Perris: a location touted as an oasis with “virtually no dust” tucked quietly on

Recontamination: Dying Fetus at the Regent

Dillon Vaughn October 18, 2018

A recent conversation with a friend resolved with an agreement that metal in L.A. is alive and kicking; a realization landed upon mostly after discussing the insanity we each witnessed at separate shows on the same night. The show my friend went to at 1720 was a stacked tech death bill featuring Obscura, Beyond Creation, Archspire, and more while I attended the rebirth of Relapse Records’ legendary Contamination Tour with Dying Fetus, Incantation, Gatecreeper, and Genocide Pact over at the Regent. Comparing the two lineups is a challenge for any balanced/general death metal fan and it made me fear one of the two events would suffer from poor attendance. Surprisingly, the distinction between the subgenres worked in each event’s favor and packed both venues with diehards losing their minds and paying respect to some of their favorite bands. related content: Morbid Angel At The Regent: A Lesson In Death Opening the night over at the Regent was one of the most recent groups to sign to Relapse: Genocide Pact. Their last performance in LA was a headlining set at Union back in 2016 that flew under the radar of most. With major label support the band’s reputation has grown quickly and attracted

Heavy Metal Parking Lot 2: Judas Priest and Deep Purple at FivePoint Amphitheatre

Dillon Vaughn October 5, 2018

Words and Photos by: Dillon Vaughn Judas Priest and Deep Purple: with a lineup including two legendary bands like this it’s nearly impossible to find a reason not to do whatever it takes to get to the show. Unique opportunities granted by commuting through a massive city for a gig like this are things I feel my parents dreamed of when they were living in a small town at my age. The drive from LA to Irvine during a weekday rush hour is awful but the anticipation for what’s truly an event multiplies each time you pass another car of people obviously making the trek for the same reason. Seeing other groups of unfamiliar familiar faces grin with shared excitement lends a sense of comfort not unlike the feeling of coming home: the euphoria of warm of acceptance and freedom to enjoy yourself for who you really are. related content: The Olive Branch Extends To Irvine: The Scorpions At Five Point Amphitheatre Firepower is somewhat of a return to form for Priest but the live show leaves the impression they never strayed from what they’ve always been. Despite unfortunate lineup changes in recent years the band has never made compromises in

Cinema of Sound: Timber Timbre at The Moroccan Lounge

Dillon Vaughn August 27, 2018

Timber Timbre‘s unbelievably cinematic sound conjures some of the most distinct imagery with ease; thankfully they were able to bring that experience to fans at the Moroccan Lounge in DTLA last week for two sold out nights. Embedded in their music is an intimacy fitting for the most tense moments of desolation; compositions that harken to a lovesick killer brooding in the most remote diner in the Nevada desert late at night. (Interestingly enough, the group so capable of capturing the classic sound of the American west hails from Ontario, Canada.) Deceptive softness and melancholy shroud what’s truly music for a bad man (in a Coen Brother’s sense) and the beauty translates perfectly to a live setting. The well-earned hype and buzz surrounding this group will only continue to grow. related content: How To Trip Off Volume: Elder At The Roxy related content: Too Heavy to Die: Boris’ 25th Anniversary With Melvins At Echoplex Opening both performances was Thor and Friends, the avant-garde project fronted by former Swans associate and percussionist Thor Harris. Unassuming at first, the ensemble quickly captivated those in attendance with hypnotic swells and some of the most lush instrumentation to grace the Moroccan. They’ve performed around town frequently

Live Desolation: Khemmis at the Echoplex

Dillon Vaughn July 10, 2018

Performing an album in it’s entirety is generally reserved for bands with monumental releases; devoting a night to a single release shows confidence in the structure and integrity of the album as a whole and seemingly elevates the title and importance of the gig from a show to an “event.” Doubling down on the critical success of their previous releases, Khemmis performed their new album Desolation in full recently at the Echoplex for the first night of a very short run of intimate album release shows in LA, Chicago, and Denver. related content: Los Angeles Strikefest At The Regent: By Die-Hards, For Die-Hards Desolation was something I avoided listening to before the show as I wanted my first experience to be in a live setting. I had only seen Khemmis once before – at last year’s Psycho Las Vegas – and while a late afternoon festival set time doesn’t generally lend as well to showcasing a bands strength as a headlining set does, their performance was still something that cemented me as a fan and remains a highlight of the weekend. That being said, the LA event did not disappoint. Beginning the night with a powerful performance of Hunted’s title