Tag: featured

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

Deafheaven at Lodge Room- A Perfect Marriage Of Time

Danny Ryan February 8, 2023

Deafheaven astonishingly achieved fitting their enormous, atmospheric sound into the intimate setting of The Lodge Room for 2 sold out nights, hosting different lineups and playing different setlists for each of them. As heavy metal further evolves with its experimentation and hardcore punk is currently seeing a revival in its popularity, artists that were early to adopt this innovative nature, like Deafheaven, are now seeing the respect that they deserve for breaking ground within these movements. With the environment of Night 2 shifting from their classic black metal influenced material to the shoegaze and emo sounds of their newest album Infinite Granite, Deafheaven showcased the importance for legendary bands within modern heavy music scenes, to continue to explore and evolve as these genres do alongside them. While Deafheaven is known for bringing a massive and theatrical presence to the audience with their live performances, Spiritual Cramp creates a completely different atmosphere with their upbeat, groovy sound that inspires pogo dancing in all directions within any room that they play. Spiritual Cramp is one of the most distinctively unique bands to come out of the punk genre in recent years, having the spirit of classic ‘77 punk rather than the hardcore

Janky Smooth Sessions: INVA//ID at Bar Sinister

Danny Baraz February 5, 2023

Goth, Industrial, EBM, Dark Wave, Post Punk, et al, born in the shadows, is having it’s moment in the sun- to the dismay of some of its denizens. But to Industrial acts like INVA//ID, the spotlight is deserved and somewhat welcome. After all, bands want people at their shows. On this Saturday night at Bar Sinister in Hollywood, there was no lack of patrons. Janky Smooth got a chance to speak with Christopher Rivera and and Krz Greenhaw of INVA//ID about their music, the state of the scene and the sounds and places that have influenced them. One of those influential places is Boardners/Bar Sinister and it’s constant presence in Los Angeles post punk and other scenes and genres cannot be understated. So it was fitting that this was the setting for both the show and our interview. Keep an eye out for the next single from INVA//ID dropping on Feb. 14th with the full length expected in July 2023. INVA//ID: Bandcamp Instagram Videographer: Chris Shaibi Video Editing and Words: Danny Baraz Photos: Jessica Moncrief

JANKY SMOOTH Top 10 ALBUMS of 2022 Rated by Contributors

Janky Smooth Central Command December 24, 2022

It’s hard to fathom underground music survived, thrived and broke new boundaries only two years since the pandemic’s peak-year. In the heat of that fire, stuck at home, people suspected that the dire circumstances we were all living under would have some great inspiring effect on the artist community. At first, some might’ve mistakenly changed their minds, pessimistically losing all hope in artists returning to purer vision, but now, in 2022, we’re finally beginning to see the true fruits of this brave new artistic world. Some of our favorite artists like Adult., Spike Hellis, Soul Glo, Wormrot and Boy Harsher all released work that evolved their sound, image, and identities in ways none could’ve predicted. Every year, Janky Smooth loves sharing our top-ten albums lists with our audience, 2022’s lists are especially bizarre for all you beautiful weirdos. Publisher, Danny Baraz Spike Hellis – Spike Hellis Deaf Club – Productive Disruption Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems Beach House – Once, Twice, Melody HEALTH – Disco 4:: Part II Ho99o9 – SKIN Kumo 99 – Body N. Will Candy – Heaven Is Here Adult. – Becoming Undone King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Omnium Gatherum Editor, Robert Shepyer Wormrot –

JANKY SMOOTH Top 10 SHOWS of 2022 Rated by Contributors

Janky Smooth Central Command December 23, 2022

On this eve to Christmas Eve, we at Janky Smooth have done our due diligence in accounting the year’s most profound concert moments. Found herein is the top ten shows lists of our contributors. Give them a peep and let us know if you were there too! Publisher, Danny Baraz Bauhuas at Cruel World 2022 Gogol Bordello at the Belasco DAIS Records 15 year anniversary at The Belasco Substance LA at The Los Angeles Theatre Desert Daze 2022 Metz, Kowloon Walled City, Deaf Club at Teragram Ballroom HEALTH at 1720 Twin Tribes, Light Asylum, Spike Hellis at El Rey Lie Detector Weekend Adult. at The Lodge Room Editor, Rob Shepyer Gorillaz at Youtube Theatre Mercyful Fate at Psycho Las Vegas Nine Inch Nails at Primavera Sound LA Rixe at Lie Detector Weekend Meshuggah at The Hollywood Palladium Kraftwerk at the Shrine Auditorium W.A.S.P. at The Wiltern Danny Elfman at the Hollywood Bowl Molchat Doma at The Roxy Pavement at The Fonda Theatre Photographer, Albert Licano Rixe at Lie Detector Weekend Nick Cave & Warren Ellis at The Shrine Auditorium Electric Frankenstein at Alex’s Bar S.H.I.T. at Zebulon Spy at Manic Relapse Subhumans at The Sardine Mercyful Fate at Youtube Theatre

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