Tag: featured

TOM’s Bar: Tom of Finland Foundation Celebrates 29 Years of Commemorating Tom With Orville Peck and Mareux

Janky Smooth Central Command June 17, 2022

Tom of Finland’s legacy lives on stronger and with more cultural relevance than ever. Few artists have a collection so iconic that it touched and altered lives the world over. The Tom of Finland Foundation proudly carries the torch to ensure new generations are constantly learning about Tom of Finland’s life and being exposed to his artwork. His art is part of what sculpts our modern understanding of masculinity, so to celebrate him, every leather daddy is coming out to Avalon on Sunday in full force. For the Foundation’s 29th anniversary, two of modern music’s hottest artists, Orville Peck and Mareux have joined forces to take the Avalon stage and offer a lineup that no concert in Los Angeles can possibly compete with. Expect just as much hard and heavy dancing as sweet and tender swaying in your Daddy’s arms for this one. Alongside these musical geniuses from completely different genres will be a slew of performers and scene icons prepared to give this evening every ounce of soul in celebration of Tom. There are few moments of essential participation for members of the LGBTQ community, this one is the most monumental in years. Love and leather will fill the air,

Garage Punk Homecoming: Together Pangea at the Regent

Janky Smooth Central Command June 16, 2022

Words and Photos by: Alfredo Luna There will always be bands and music that exists that will bring up something nostalgic in you, taking you back to a certain time and place. A lot of us can say we’re seeing that being presented whether through the lens of “Indie Sleaze” movement or the emo revival phase we have going on. But the one that truly got me was listening to Together Pangea again and being taken back to when I was still in high school coming into my own and somehow discovering through word of mouth, When their Night of the Living Dummy album found its way to my speakers it instantly transformed my taste in music. I distinctly remember videos from their live shows popping up on my feed and a ton of show posters plastering my digital space. I’d always told myself that I needed to make it out and support this up and coming band but as fate would have it I just never could make it. That is until I saw they’d be making a triumphant return to LA with their show at The Regent, and I just knew I had to satisfy that musical pilgrimage

Resistence is Fertile: Midnight Oil at the Palladium

Rob Shepyer June 14, 2022

Midnight Oil has always been difficult to pigeon hole. Bringing darker notes to a popular 80’s pop rock aesthetic, this band was most iconic for their politics. Their latest album, Resist, comes at a time where the world is in much turmoil and in tow with endorsement of fighting back, the band offers a tender acknowledgement and support for all the people often trampled by giant institutions and corporate powers. They never hesitate to thank everyone that makes their shows possible and never mince words when delivering a message to authority. Coming from Australia, the band mentioned a rise in right wing politics in their younger communities, these veterans of musical dissidence are spreading the message of finding another way to make a difference in the world. Through music, yes, but also through standing up for whats right. I remember seeing the music video for “Forgotten Years” replayed over and over as a kid then upon discovering “Beds Are Burning”, I was driven to attend and review this show. Their Los Angeles stop on their final tour for Resist gave me a taste of pure rock and roll, I couldn’t help but think of Woody Guthrie’s guitar, “This Machine Kills

Photo Recap: Suffocation at 1720

Janky Smooth Central Command June 14, 2022

New York may not be the birthplace of death metal but that region of the United States created a sound so menacing and brutal that the rest of the country couldn’t do a damn thing but cross their arms and look on in horror as bands like Suffocation altered the genre forever. They are and always have been a death metal machine, both in terms of output and longevity and sonically. Their return to Los Angeles, courtesy of Church of the 8th Day and 1720, was a remarkable showcase of true heaviness and death. Everyone was blown away and in awe of Suffocation and we got the pics to prove it. Photos by: Greg Flack Suffocation Atheist Soreption Contrarian

Preview: Bright Eyes Rolls into Los Angeles to Play the Greek Theatre

Janky Smooth Central Command June 13, 2022

The early 2000’s was filled with a wellspring of emo music that each helped teenagers expand their own emotional intelligence to depths that no one else could take them. Neither their family, friends, nor mentors had the ability to make people feel the range of emotions these bands did. Then, in comes one boy, Conor Oberst with a vision all his own, to be an emo troubadour and take the sound to more emotional and vulnerable depths than anyone had imagined. Before Conor, you never heard men be so vulnerable on record. Conor then found two friends and created the band known as Bright Eyes. It was almost a guilty pleasure for boys to listen to, while the more enlightened sex gravitated toward the heartbreaking sound. Now, decades later, everyone celebrates the music of Bright Eyes, making these reunion shows highly anticipated. We all want to cry our eyes out and hold our loved ones close. There is no better show to do these two things at. So yes, after a 9 year hiatus, Bright Eyes has returned and been touring the states and are coming to Los Angeles on June 23rd to play the Greek Theatre. This isn’t just

…And the Battle Continues: RX Bandits at the Fonda

Rob Shepyer June 13, 2022

RX Bandits will always hold a very special place in my heart. At my high school, only a specific few bands and genres bled into our campus from mainstream culture and RX Bandits were beloved by the grade above mine, the class of 2004. The fans of this band were my elders and among them were the most beautiful girls I always had a crush on. From that crush, I developed a shared love for the band and carried that love to various friend groups through high school, then college and beyond. I would smoke pot with college friends, hot boxing my van during road trips to USC just to see RX Bandits play for free. Though we were strangers to the elite campus, we felt like the in-crowd for being true fans of the band. Their best album, “…And the Battle Begun” came out in 2006, one year after I graduated high school but I always wished it came out two years earlier so I could see how those songs could’ve swept the student body. To lay beside your crush listening to that album, would put any two teenagers in the mood to make out. Few bands are able

Take This: Win Two Tickets to Turnover at The Regent

Janky Smooth Central Command June 8, 2022

The tender tunes of Turnover are just what the doctor order to let young love flourish at the Regent for a two night stint. Their sound is spellbinding, melding emo and folk together for a hypnotic and sweet evening. We’re giving away a pair of tickets to the show on the 14th. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS‍ HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO TURNOVER JUNE 14TH AT THE REGENT Step 1- Join Our Newsletter (look for pop up every time you arrive at jankysmooth.com) Step 2 – Tag a Friend in the comment section of our INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK TURNOVER Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON JUNE 13TH AT 1PM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION

You’ll Cowards Smoked Crack With Viper at Zebulon

Rob Shepyer June 7, 2022

Have you ever seen a unicorn? Not in some kind of drug-fueled hallucination or dream but in the flesh, standing right before you. It would surely cause a crowd to gather and if word got out, you would expect people to travel far and wide to see it. Then when someone decided to start selling tickets to view the creature, you could rest assured they would sell out in mere seconds on the internet. This is the case for those who bought tickets to see Viper at Zebulon presented by the incomparable Eighty-Four productions. We all saw a unicorn perform songs off their iconic record, You’ll Cowards Don’t Even Smoke Crack. There are many ways to book a show like this. Given the audience of deep music heads that sold it out in seconds, a hardcore band will do the trick in providing a proper complement to Viper’s chill vibes and insider audience. Fans of outsider artists appreciate heavy music, though the label “Outsider artist” is surely a foolish one. Real artists are all outsiders. Texas’ Skourge was up for the task to open for Viper. The band was wearing their state’s pride and joy hardcore bands on their shirts

Lyrical Assassin: Pusha T’s “It’s Almost Dry Tour” Hits the Novo

Rob Shepyer June 6, 2022

The year is 2018. Kanye West has announced he will produce five albums, one for himself, one for a project with Kid Cudi called Kids See Ghosts, one for Nas, one for Teyana Taylor, and one for his collaborator in G.O.O.D. Music and legendary member of Clipse, Pusha T. These albums each only featured seven songs and though that’s considered short compared to other releases, each album felt perfect, without a single song worth skipping. These albums were pieces of art, in it of themselves. Of the iconic 5, Pusha T’s Daytona was my personal favorite and probably the pound for pound best of the lot. The moment the album cover was teased, the internet went crazy. Featuring a film photograph of Whitney Houston’s bathroom, Daytona carried a mystique before anyone heard a single song. Then once the album was released, it was evident this was going to be on every major best albums of the year list. I became obsessed with Daytona, going out of my way to see Pusha T on Jimmy Kimmel live and then in concert at the Observatory. Following this, Pusha T engaged in a now legendary rap beef with Drake that saw him victorious

Take This: Win Two Tickets to Nasty Savage at The Regent

Janky Smooth Central Command June 6, 2022

Heavy metal so hardcore, the fans chant ECW after the stage gets decimated and covered in debris. By the end of a Nasty Savage show someone is bound to be bleeding. It’s the fullest expression of millennial metal fandom. Many of us grew up watching hardcore wrestling, so seeing a frontman crashing his head through a TV set and whipping chains across the stage is a real treat. We’re giving away two tickets to the incomparable Nasty Savage at The Regent. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS‍ HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO NASTY SAVAGE JUNE 10TH AT THE REGENT Step 1- Join Our Newsletter (look for pop up every time you arrive at jankysmooth.com) Step 2 – Tag a Friend in the comment section of our INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK NASTY SAVAGE Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON JUNE 9TH AT 1PM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION

Ritual Between Stars, Sun and Moon: Molchat Doma at the Fonda Theatre

Jonathan Reyes June 5, 2022

Raise your hand if you didn’t expect such a large population of goths for Molchat Doma at The Fonda. Having not translated their lyrics to the songs before, I felt the languished pleading in “Zvezdy” being so close and as distant from someone as the sun stars and moon are from each other. I danced about in Egor’s lyrical expression of devastation. Molchat Doma presents bare and plain on stage, they look like a improv group waiting for inspiration from the audience. There is no banner above them, nothing to signify their presence or announce themselves. This absence and their simple black clothing contrast the riot happening in the middle of the room. The crowd was hot for Belarusian boys. related content: One World Under Goth: Molchat Doma at the Fonda Their synchronized movements and blank slavic stare, you don’t realize till it’s far too late, is part of a ritual of some kind, all that’s missing is a cleric’s collared shirt. There’s truly something mystical about them having sold out and adding more shows on their west coast tour. Maybe it’s my religious upbringing but anytime I see rhythmic dancing to loud droning music, it brings on a wave of

Take This: Win Two Tickets to Neko Case at Ace Hotel

Janky Smooth Central Command June 5, 2022

The legendary Neko Case is bringing a career-spanning set to the Ace Hotel and we’re giving away two tickets for you to appear at this sacred evening. Having just released the critically acclaimed Wild Creatures in 2022, this show is going to have something old and something new for everyone. If you haven’t heard the new album yet, this is as real and existential as as a troubadour’s heart can get and that’s what Neko has always been, a modern day troubadour. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS‍ HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO NEKO CASE JUNE 10TH AT ACE HOTEL Step 1- Join Our Newsletter (look for pop up every time you arrive at jankysmooth.com) Step 2 – Tag a Friend in the comment section of our INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK NEKO CASE Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON JUNE 9TH AT 1PM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION