Category: SHOWS

Jane’s Addiction- Hollywood Royalty At The Palladium

Danny Baraz March 16, 2023

Jane’s Addiction playing the Palladium in Hollywood in 2023 resonates deeply with music fans who grew up in Los Angeles. Jane’s Addiction is the quintessential L.A. band of their era. Wedged snugly between the hair metal era of the 80’s and the grunge era of the 90’s, Jane’s had that guitar hero grit with the angry, sad bastard swag that followed the vacuous and shallow vortex of sunset strip glam rock. As excited as I was about this show, I had questions and concerns. Last time I saw Jane’s on their tour with Nine Inch Nails at the now defunct Irvine Meadows Amphitheater, everything seemed sub par- from Perry Farrell’s range to the vibe and banter on stage. Also, the absence on this run of guitar hero Dave Navarro and his signature sound concerned me a little. Not having Navarro is ALMOST like the Rolling Stones gigging without Keith Richards- almost. One thing I will say is seeing Porno for Pyros at the end of 2022 at the Belasco Theater gave me more confidence that Jane’s Addiction would play a show worth remembering. related: Porno For Pyros At The Belasco- A Time Capsule of Sound and Cultural Concepts I have

Resonant Sound Baths: Sunn O))) at the Lodge Room

Todd Anderson February 15, 2023

Having never heard SUNN O))) before, I had no idea what I was in for as I waited at the back door of the Lodge Room in Highland Park. I purposely didn’t look them up or listen to them. Sometimes I like going into a show totally blind and open to something new. And last night was something new, for sure. I’m either the worst person in the world to write about this, or the best. See, I thought I was going to see a metal show, a rock show, a show that fit into the box I had constructed that contains everything I thought I knew about a musical act. On stage the semi-circle of 10 stacks of amplifiers only spoke to it being loud but nothing else. Last night was a beautiful, profound, and absolute assault on the senses…. Almost spiritual in nature. When the first vibrations of deafening sound hit me I nearly panicked …I wanted to run, leave get out as quickly as I could … I closed my eyes and gave into the loudest droning guitars I had ever heard in my life It was an electronic exorcism performed by two cloaked figures wielding guitars

Detention With Danzig at The Montalban

Vanessa Burgundy February 14, 2023

Still seething with bliss from the uproarious decadence of Danzig Sings Elvis at the Hollywood Roosevelt on Devil’s Night 2021, we set our ticket alarm and grabbed 4th row for our second chance at seeing the dark King of Rock n Roll. Another historic Hollywood theater, The Montalban was an odd choice but we, and a sold out crowd, were there for it. Parking was a breeze next door and we stepped over the teenage, junkie living in the stairwell of the structure and headed down to the theater. The marquee was set with several, larger-than-life, close-up portraits of Danzig á la Elvis headshots that served as photo ops out front of the theater and in the lobby, as there were several reminders of no photography or recording inside the theater (more on this later…much, much, more). The crowd poured in, many excited first-timers, a mix of black-leather punks, leopard-print rockabillies, and even a few, tired, parents with their children. Let’s be honest, this was a predominantly over 40 crowd…which made it all that more confusing as to why we were treated as though we were in trouble at a high school assembly. Between the emails, signs, and repeated loud

Vulnerability is Punk: The Lemonheads at the OC Observatory

Danny Ryan December 13, 2022

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of their iconic 1992 album It’s A Shame About Ray, The Lemonheads brought their signature blend of punk, grunge, and folk influences to a passionate crowd at The Observatory. With the night being built up of multiple acts including their magnum opus album in full, an acoustic segment, and a collection of hits from their other material; the show was a dedication to the fans that have followed them with devotion since the beginning. While The Lemonheads are underrated in how they are not always included in conversations about 90’s grunge and indie rock music, their influence can still be felt in underground alternative music today and it was apparent how much their music means to the fans who experienced it during the peak of their popularity with how much love for the band that could be felt in the room that night. As soon as The Lemonheads casually approached the stage, it was immediately clear that their image embodies the DIY grassroots of independent music from their minimalist stage presence to the crudely designed “L H” logo on their drum set made out of green duct tape. Compared to seeing most 90’s alternative

The Smell of Napalm Death at Belasco

Danny Ryan December 4, 2022

While punk rock and heavy metal are completely different genres in their sound and aesthetics, there has always been a crossover between the scenes due to the aggressive nature and the focus on rebellion against social norms found in each of them. Few artists embody the fusion of these two scenes more than Napalm Death, with their punk influence of playing as fast and hard as possible in some of the shortest songs ever written combined with their growling brutal vocals and distortion-filled breakdowns. Their recent sold out show at The Belasco proved how much love for these genres does crossover between the two scenes, as they hosted a massive lineup of thrash metal, death metal, and hardcore punk legends to open the eventful evening. Punk and metal may be covered separately when people often look at music history, but Napalm Death’s recent sold out show was a testament to how these scenes are not limited to the boxes that people try to put them into. Frozen Soul was easily the darkest band on the lineup, with their blend of death metal and black metal influences creating a foreboding atmosphere to start the night off before the lightning speed intensity

Blast Beat Apocalypse: Cannibal Corpse at the Wiltern

Danny Ryan December 2, 2022

Cannibal Corpse is a band that does not need any sort of introduction, as they really are an artist that you immediately fall in love with or you turn off instantly upon your first listen. Hell, you could probably decide how you feel about them just from the first time viewing their iconic grotesquely detailed album covers. Cannibal Corpse represents nearly every aspect of metal music that is off-putting to the casual listener, from the deep growling vocals of frontman Corpsegrinder to their nonstop blast beats and high-frequency piercing guitar solos. While The Wiltern was the last venue I would expect to see an artist this extreme, Cannibal Corpse’s recent sold out performance proved that the love for death metal that passionate fans have is stronger than ever and their dedication to the genre can force itself into the most unexpected of environments. Black Anvil kicked off the absolutely stacked lineup, offering a completely different brand of black metal than we would see from Dark Funeral later that night. Black metal purists may scoff at their polished production and use of synthesizers present, but Black Anvil’s formula of more emotional post-hardcore and shoegaze influenced black metal definitely represents the future

Arcade Fire at the Forum: Indie Rock’s Phoenix Burns Again

Danny Ryan November 30, 2022

While indie rock may still be one of the most popular genres amongst casual listeners, it’s no secret that the genre and aesthetics have fallen far past their heyday. With how many artists from the peak of indie rock that seem to be lost in their navigation of current trends, bands that have been able to adapt and reinvent themselves amongst new scenes really stand out in building a more promising future than their peers. Arcade Fire’s recent 2 night residency at The Forum represented a shift in direction for the band’s sound and overall attitude, feeling much more like an arena rock performance than the more modest and independent aesthetic that they were previously known for. With their recent Grammy nomination for “Best Alternative Rock Album”, Arcade Fire’s bold and energetic performance proved themselves as stars within the alternative genre as they continue to rise from the ashes of the indie scene they once dominated. Before Arcade Fire had even taken the stage, it was clear that their performance would be leagues more theatrical and grandiose than what most early 00’s indie bands have to offer in 2022. The Forum’s stage was transformed into a black hole as the

Austin Shines On: Levitation 2022

Janky Smooth Central Command November 18, 2022

Words by: David Lacroix Photos by: Grace Dunn On a Halloween weekend, concert aficionados from around the world packed clubs in Austin’s Red River district to the brim for 4 long nights of Neo-psychedelic music. Founded as Austin Psych Fest 15 years ago, Levitation curates compelling artists ranging from intimate performances by pioneers like desert-tinged rockers, Los Dug Dug’s and post-punk godfathers, the Jesus and Mary Chain. No festival on earth presents the pilgrim with the enviable problem of too many fantastic concerts to choose from like Levitation. The city’s culture lends Levitation much of its character, with the festival mostly spread around a few city blocks in the Red River district. All venues paint the skies with vivid projection light artwork. Levitation has long celebrated concert visuals; most shows featured either the twisted liquid light of Mad Alchemy or protégés of neo-psych visuals from Bob Mustachio, previous live visual artist for The Black Angels. With a multi-venue format, the festival fell across half-a-dozen or so venues within a short walking distance. The crowd took some time before arriving at Stubb’s but showed up in full-force for headliners, Jesus & Mary Chain. With guitar tones crushing like waves, Jesus and

Luna Lodge: Moon Duo at Lodge Room

Rob Shepyer November 16, 2022

The moon had a strange glow on this Monday night. Its light was bright but diffused behind a noir Highland Park haze. It was other-worldly, as was the neighborhood. For those who don’t frequent concerts on Monday nights, Highland Park can be a dead scene on a Monday. There’s nowhere to go, nowhere to hide out but within a bustling crowd at the Lodge Room’s loud and joyous happenings. No matter what sort of muted weirdness can be going on around Highland Park, so long as the Lodge Room buzzes, the beating heart of the neighborhood won’t let the city flatline into irrelevance. It’s this spirit that led the Lodge Room to 5 incredible years of music, making an unforgettable splash in Los Angeles music at its inception and now over its young life, we can see a scene its created that can be equated to the Sunset Strip in some senses, hosting a space for indie music of every variety to thrive. This was my second time seeing Moon Duo at the Lodge Room but my first time documenting the experience. I had to write down my observations of this performance because its one of the closest things in

Noise Punks on Potassium: Melt Banana at The Roxy

Rob Shepyer November 16, 2022

It had been years since Melt-Banana came to Los Angeles. Their last show at The Troubadour featured a lineup that pitted them beside Napalm Death and The Melvins, and though Melt-Banana didn’t headline that show, as time went on and the musical landscape changed, enough years had passed by 2022 that they became a very hot, headlining commodity in the world of weirdo music. No matter what scene you were in you had to be there, the urge was felt across punk, metal, hardcore and goth. So, in 2022, Melt-Banana returned to Los Angeles before a sold out Roxy Theatre and demolished the crowd that hailed them as legends of noise. Not only was the Japanese duo in question in rare form performance-wise on this night but every band they brought along in their crazy punk rock caravan put on equally wild and mind expanding sets. Psychic Graveyard were one of the best noise rock bands I’ve ever seen. Flipping switches, turning knobs and playing with doo-dads to create this massive behemoth of angry, artsy dysfunction. They jam hard, making electronics feel more rock and roll than any band I’ve seen, and as a result, you are washed in this

Vaporwave Halloween Party with George Clanton at The Lodge Room

Alfredo Luna November 12, 2022

The pioneer of vaporwave, George Clanton, was back in the Lodge Room for a very special and intimate Halloween celebration as part of the Lodge Room’s 5-year-anniversary concert series. Stringing together a two-show night with performances from Clanton and his ESPRIT moniker, as well as death’s dynamic shroud and Neggy Gemmy (Negative Gemini) for a night of 100% Electronica. With the vaporwave cult fanbase jamming in droves from the show’s very beginning to check out George Clanton’s ESPRIT performance, there was a powerful energy in the air. Coming out with an inflatable alien that would steal cthe show, this set was one of those rare and special performances that you just have to see at least once. With ESPRIT being many people’s introduction to vaporwave the music and the visuals crafted an ethereal experience. In a change of pace, death’s dynamic shroud brought a blend of experimental music that was more aggressive and in your face. Despite numerous technical difficulties that caused the audio to go out, this didn’t stop the duo from putting on a memorable performance. Masked by ghastly skeletal face-paint, the group emanated a harsh sound that was equally as dark as it was heavy. What really

All Hallow’s Melt: Halloween Meltdown 2022

Janky Smooth Central Command November 11, 2022

Words by: Gloria Velez Photos by: Workhorse Studios Halloween Meltdown spin-off to its summer time counterpart, “Mosswood Meltdown” (Formally Burger Boogaloo), thrown by Total Trash Productions and hosted by the “Pope of Trash” him self, John Waters, returned to Oakland’s Mosswood Park to kick off October with some spooky punk festivities. related content: Glorious Leader, Kim John Kill: Mosswood Meltdown 2022 The two day music festival with a halloween twist and a D.I.Y. feel, served up a stellar line up with headlining acts like Amyl and the Sniffers, Shannon and The Clams, The Spits, Lydia Lunch and Kid Congo Powers. The festival also featured a Haunted House designed by local musician and horror artist, Rob Fletcher and costume contest where attendees got a chance to win a $500 prize. Keeping in the Halloween Meltdown spirit all weekend, festival-goers and local music lovers stayed busy with a series of perfectly curated afterparties that sold out night after night. The afterparties, lead by Bay Area lo-fi garage punk legends The Mummies, and thrown at Oakland’s historic dive The Stork Club, where the perfect add on to the already fun weekend of Halloween Meltdown. Excited to be back in Oakland with fellow music