Tag: featured
Ruining Our Makeup with Samia at The Fonda Theater
Michelle Evans
October 3, 2025
I love being uncomfortable. Uncomfortable movies. Uncomfortable books. Uncomfortable art. Uncomfortable conversations. I’ve become anxiously attached to the little wasps in my chest who buzz too loudly and flap around in awkward situations. But finding comfort in the uncomfortable comes at a cost: ugly doesn’t scare you anymore. You even start to seek it out. This is where Samia comes in. Samia steals all that discomfort, all that ugly, right out from your chest. As a songwriter she is an alchemist, spinning your insecurities into a quilt. The kind of quilt your grandmother wraps around you while you read comics at her house as your parents are downtown signing divorce papers. You know the kind. On the warm night of September 19, 2025 night in Hollywood, Samia steps coyly onto the stage of the Fonda Theatre. The crowd roars relentlessly as she seems taken aback – it’s clear how deeply she is needed tonight, right here in this moment. related: Photo Recap – Ethel Cain At The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever She starts the set with “Triptych,” a song from her debut 2020 album, “The Baby,” with lyrics so abruptly intimate that listening would feel like a violation if
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Circle Jerks Throw Birthday Party For Keith at The Hollywood Palladium
Danny Baraz
September 29, 2025
On Friday, September 19, 2025, the Circle Jerks played a show at the Hollywood Palladium in honor of Keith Morris’ birthday and he invited some friends. The Circle Jerks, Ceremony, Negative Approach, and Rocket From The Crypt- a nice final touch for connoisseurs. It’s the kind of lineup that makes you shake your head and laugh at how good we have it when a night like this comes together. The story of the night was celebrating the birth of Keith Morris with all his friends and his band, the Circle Jerks. Somehow, at 70 years old, there is no noticeable decline. In fact, the eye test reveals that he’s thriving. It would be illogical to suggest he doesn’t suffer from some unseen ailment that comes with wear and tear on the human body. But… if his shoulder hurt, his hemorrhoid was flaring up, his arthritic pinkie knuckle burned, or he had to piss every 20 minutes at the age of 70- there was no hint of any of that. As far as I could see, his feet were planted firmly, his diaphragm engaged, and there was no pee-pee dance. But there was most definitely joy. related: Janky Smooth Interviews Keith Morris
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Slowing The World Down with MJ Lenderman at The Shrine
Danny Ryan
September 26, 2025
MJ Lenderman is one of the most prominent key players in the alternative country movement, and his September 11, 2025 performance at The Shrine Auditorium showed just how big of a name he is amongst younger people and country-folk enthusiasts alike. I don’t believe there’s even a debate on whether country music is currently one of the most dominating cultural forces in America. It goes even beyond the music, with Southern aesthetics like mullets, flannels, showy belt-buckles, and cowboy boots taking over hipster-infested areas like Highland Park and Silverlake. While the love for the genre is actually on its way to becoming more equal between urban and rural America at this point in time, the artists respected between these two demographics could not vary more. While mainstream country artists like Morgan Wallen aren’t really talked about with reverence amongst music fans in LA, there is a new wave of alternative country artists with more emotional and poetic folk influence that are considered superstars amongst aspiring artists looking for a singer-songwriter scene to be part of. featured image: Michelle Evans related: Courtney Barnett at The Roxy – How To Make A Rockstar MJ Lenderman is one of the biggest names of
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Dark Angel Brings Us To Our Primal Basics at Majestic Ventura Theater
Rob Shepyer
September 19, 2025
Dark Angel at the Majestic Ventura Theater on September 6, 2025 might have been just another stop on a long national tour for the many iconic bands appearing on this monster show—from Sacred Reich to Hirax—but for the locals of California’s Central Coast, it was much more than that. For Ventura’s own hardcore and stoner metal scenes, it was a night to raise the speed, volume, and intensity of their jams alongside some of Los Angeles’s finest. It was an event that felt like a genuine summit of the underground, a night where the past and present of extreme music converged. If you’re a fan of extreme sounds—whether punk, death metal, hardcore, or black metal—you owe it to yourself to attend thrash metal shows from time to time. They act as a palate cleanser, a way to reset your taste and senses back to the primal basics. Thrash metal, at its core, is one of the most fundamental heavy metal art forms, a template that inspired so many of us to follow a path deeper into the underground. For every genre that has splintered off since, thrash remains the raw power source, the musical bedrock that feeds the rest. related:
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The 4th Wave of Garage Rock in Los Angeles-A Retrospective
Brent Smith
September 3, 2025
Those of us lucky enough to be in L.A. for the 4th wave of garage rock in the 2010s suddenly find ourselves mourning the fact that it’s gone … long receded. We hardly even noticed. What the fuck happened? words: Brent Smith related: Ty Segall And The Secret Show- A New Tradition in Los Angeles I see them around- skulking the Zebulon smoking patio or pounding cheap beer at the Taix bar in motorcycle jackets and old band shirts (that their friends are in) and black denim and dirty Chucks. The weary look of defeat in their bloodshot eyes as we see each other (through the endless, bobbing sea of Benson Boone clones) and head-nod and ask if we met at that one Desert Daze when Iggy headlined. I see them around. The Echo Park refugees of the 2010s wave of garage rock. related: Over 10 Years of Desert Daze Archives And yes, this is my declaration that the 2010s merit a mention in the annals of American garage rock — ’60s, ’80s, ’00s … ’10s. The Fourth Wave. If you’re some music nerd who disagrees you can go fuck yourself. You couldn’t swing a dead cat on Sunset without
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Glass Beams at Ventura Music Hall: Desert in a Bottle
Rob Shepyer
August 28, 2025
This has been a psychedelic week for me, still feeling the afterglow of seeing Pigs x7, so before I could enter this new trip closer to home, I needed to sober up off the lingering sonic buzz. I wanted to clear out the leftover distortion rattling in my head so I could step into the Ventura Music Hall with ears and mind ready to feel the pure, authentic high off the sound of Glass Beams. related: Pigs x7 Launch North American Tour At Lodge Room Glass Beams plays in the tradition of distorting and disrupting traditional, exotic world music into modernized, minimalist psychedelia. Their music doesn’t need to shout, roar, or crash like a doom riff to get you there; it works in repetition, mood, and layering. It works in space. They aren’t the first to attempt this blend and they won’t be the last, but at the moment, they feel like the only band making traditional world music vibrations consumable for folks interested in dancing on clouds, instead of just headbanging in basements. Shows like this are rare in Ventura, though they strike a nerve in both artist and audience that no other city quite can. Ventura has always
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MSPAINT and Lip Critic at Lodge Room- Disturbing The Peace
Danny Baraz
August 14, 2025
On an undersold Thursday night at the Lodge Room on a quiet night in Highland Park, MSPAINT made their tour stop in Los Angeles to support the No Separation EP. They brought with them Pat and the Pissers and a band that caught my attention at the end of 2024, Lip Critic. I really love MSPAINT but I traveled cross town to see what the fuck this weird, experimental band Lip Critic would sound like live and how the fuck they made the sounds that had been coming out of my speaker the last 6 months. I arrived in time for a REALLY great band out of Indianapolis- Pat and the Pissers. They are a interesting Descendents punk mix of confrontational, charismatic and borderline technical players. Bass player Kilmer stood out immediately but I quickly realized that the entire band was tight and lead singer Alex Beckman was born to sing at people. related: Model/Actriz- Pirouette New Album/Bend Bodies/Break Brains At the end of an extended schmoke break between sets, we heard strange rumblings and sounds coming from the venue. We rushed upstairs to find the 4 Lip Critic lunatics thrashing about the stage, 30 seconds into their set with
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Sound And Fury 2025: Everybody Spin Kick!
Danny Baraz
August 1, 2025
“Everybody spin kick!” was the order given in the first 4 bars of the first breakdown by Mindforce frontman Jay Petagine,Saturday headliners at the Cream Stage at Sound and Fury 2025. featured image- Basement: Joe Calixto It was the first time I was IN the pit at Sound and Fury 2025 on Saturday at Exposition Park and not backstage or out on the periphery- the difference between a nice view of the ocean or swimming in it. I use boxing’s “crab defense” during these explosions. I recommend it highly. It’s allowed me to play defense and even though the best defense is a good offense, I don’t like physically hurting people as much as I used to. It made me think of the meme about hardcore dudes in the pit past 40 and the tendency toward excessive violence toward children… and this feels like the perfect platform to explain this cultural phenomenon… related: Relive Every Sound and Fury for the Last 10 Years The first time I got hit in the head with an errant fist for fun and not fighting was in my late 30’s- not old for the world but certainly old in a music scene. Old enough
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Cali Vibes Festival 2025- Peace in Long Beach
Dave Unbuckled
June 18, 2025
The sun shined bright all weekend at the 2025 Cali Vibes Festival, where tens of thousands of music lovers gathered in downtown Long Beach to escape the tension of nearby LA protests and soak in the mellow vibes of Marina Green Park for a melodic respite from all the unrest. Now in its fourth year, this Southern California reggae and hip-hop festival drew a massive crowd of roughly 75,000 attendees—greeted on Ocean Blvd by protesters waving Mexican flags and holding signs that read “Fuck ICE”. Despite the potential for tension, the crowd remained peaceful, mellowed out by good vibes and good music. And though this year’s lineup stuck close to its reggae roots, the inclusion of acts like Kid Cudi, Cypress Hill, and Ludacris elevated the experience with a fresh, genre-blending energy. Reggae, Hip-Hop, and a Touch of Punk: 2025 Lineup Highlights The 2025 Cali Vibes Festival lineup offered a carefully curated mix of reggae legends, hip-hop icons, and emerging artists. Familiar names like Slightly Stoopid, Iration, and Stick Figure returned, joined by younger talent including YG Marley and DENM, creating a truly multi-generational experience. For fans looking for more than music, the festival also expanded its offerings with
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Peach Pit & Briston Maroney Spellbind The Greek Theater
Danny Baraz
June 17, 2025
June 11 2025 felt tailor-made for an outdoor indie double bill. Ticketmaster billed the evening as Peach Pit & Briston Maroney — Long Hair, Long Life Tour and promised an “all-ages indie celebration.” The sun slipped behind Griffith Park just as doors opened at 5:30 p.m., giving 5,800 fans plenty of time to explore merch, sip local brews, and admire the Greek Theatre’s art-deco façade before the 7 p.m. start time. Briston Maroney: Folk-grunge fireworks to start the night Knoxville-raised singer-songwriter Briston Lee Maroney cut his teeth on American Idol at 15, busked bluegrass tunes through Tennessee, and independently issued EPs before landing with Atlantic Records. His gold-certified single “Freakin’ Out on the Interstate” paved the way for full-lengths Sunflower (2021), Ultrapure (2023) and the brand-new Jimmy (May 2025), a record that pairs confessional lyrics with grungy guitar crescendos. Stepping onstage beneath faux evergreens and twinkle lights, Knoxville native Briston Maroney treated L.A. like his own backyard campfire. He hurled himself into opener “Small Talk,” then immediately demanded a louder response: “Feel it tonight, Los Angeles—really feel it!” related: Music For Trees- P.J. Harvey at The Greek Theater Maroney’s nine-song set hopscotched through every era of his catalog: “Under My
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Spiritual Cramp: Alive at the Regent Theater
Danny Baraz
June 6, 2025
Last month on May 21st, Spiritual Cramp opened a show for Bad Nerves at The Regent Theater. We here at Janky Smooth have been mildly obsessed with Spiritual Cramp- mostly theorizing on why they aren’t headlining shows like this yet. Because once you see them live, the band leaves no doubt. Spiritual Cramp released their first full length, self titled studio album in 2023 to go with 4 EP’s and a slue of singles. Every release is solid. But do yourself a favor- if Spiritual Cramp come to your town, do whatever you can to go see them. related: LA’s Best Festival is Sound and Fury- Here’s Why (2018) When you first hear the name Spiritual Cramp, you’re not sure if you’re about to get hit with a darkwave sermon or an exorcism of punk rock demons. But once the needle drops—or they hit the stage—you know exactly what you’re in for: a sweaty, soul-drenched blast of refined angst, post-punk groove, and swagger that may not be unique to them but they certainly take it to it’s purest form. Now stationed in Los Angeles, Spiritual Cramp is the band you didn’t know you needed—until you see them and your taint
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Justice at Santa Barbara Bowl: Disco Church
Janky Smooth Central Command
May 27, 2025
The rural hills of Santa Barbara received a much-needed disco disruption in the form of Justice performing at the SB Bowl for their Hyperdrama North American tour. Since their inception with 2007’s Cross, French DJ duo Justice have broken the mold of what electronic music should be, reinventing themselves and the genre each time they release an album. 2024’s Hyperdrama follows in the band’s rich tradition of innovation and boundary-pushing, all while staying cool and lowkey about it. Hyperdrama features appearances from Tame Impala and Miguel, adding dashes of psychedelic rock and R&B to an already expansive sound. Justice, unlike other electronic groups, aren’t committed to simply blending electronic music with rock or industrial or disco, like they were once notorious for with songs like “Stress.” Justice’s M.O. is much bigger—to cover the entire musical landscape through the Justice lens, which amplifies the power, tension, and release of songs while making them headbanging anthems audiences can dance the night away to. related content: Stone Age Swagger: Queens of the Stone Age at SB Bowl A Justice show is a communal experience. Every time the duo plays “We Are Your Friends” on loop, audiences grow closer together around the group. And though
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