Tag: featured

The Golden Coast: Portola Festival 2022

Danny Ryan October 6, 2022

Electronic dance music festivals have been controversial amongst live music enthusiasts for quite some time. It’s clear to see why due to the emphasis on drug use, tendency to attract rowdy youth that are more focused on partying than the love for the music, massive and potentially dangerous crowds, and lack of genre diversity in the lineups. The Portola Festival at Pier 80 in San Francisco was Goldenvoice and Non Plus Ultra’s answer to these criticisms, returning the pure love for different forms of electronic music and visual art to the raving experience. Portola hosted a massive lineup of DJs and artists ranging from the 90’s rave roots of Fatboy Slim and The Chemical Brothers, to modern DJ legends Jamie XX and Flume, and even to electronic-influenced pop stars with Charli XCX and Caroline Polachek. No matter what your flavor of raving is, Portola Festival had you covered with all forms of non-stop dancing the entire weekend. Portola Festival’s setting was incredibly industrial to match the energy of the warehouse shows that electronic dance music is rooted in, with the Pier 80 location being in a parking lot surrounded by enormous ships on the dock and a tranquil view of

Take This: Win Two Tickets to Substance LA 2022

Janky Smooth Central Command October 6, 2022

Many of our followers consider themselves goth. The majority of our followers, whether they know it or not, are nightcrawlers. Whether you’re goth or just feel at home living it up late into the night, Substance LA is the place a vampire like you will feel at home. While you shun the light, hiding from the robotic world out there, Substance will offer you two stages filled with bands, DJs, and electro-beats ranging from cold and nightmarish to romantic and hot. It all takes place at the hallowed Los Angeles Theatre where Los Angeles’ soul will be on full display because goth is this city’s calling card genre. Rare international imports both young and old will be present at Substance, as will some of the country’s most iconic acts like Boy Harsher and Pixel Grip. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS‍ HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO SUBSTANCE LA 2022 OCTOBER 20TH-21ST AT THE LOS ANGELES THEATRE 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 SUBSTANCE LA Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON OCTOBER 18TH AT 1PM

8 Essential Artists of Substance Festival 2022

Rob Shepyer October 5, 2022

Substance is more than a festival. Substance is a showcase of the past, present and future of goth, post-punk and industrial music, bringing together the best artists and promoters in the greatest live music city in the world. There is no better place to get a sense of goth music today and tomorrow than at Substance. Every attendee gets a glimpse of the current musical landscape and leaves with stronger, more expansive goth sensibilities and knowledge. Sets that define and launch an artist’s trajectory happen at Substance. I will never forget Pixel Grip’s opening set in 2021 and since then, the band has become a major act inside the American goth underground. All these elements combined, make Substance an essential Los Angeles festival. If you think you know music, but don’t go to Substance, then you don’t know shit. It seems every year since the festival’s inception, Restless Nites collaborates with all of LA’s greatest goth minds to put on a festival that exceeds the expectations set by the previous installment. From Boy Harsher’s wild goth rave in 2019, to Geneva Jacuzzi’s future pop, to this year’s acquisition of legends, exotic imports and the next wave of brilliant goth acts,

Welcome to Hell, Black Country, New Road and Black Midi at The Wiltern

Alfredo Luna October 3, 2022

This was definitely a night of two emerging heavyweights, in Black Country, New Road and Black Midi. Both bands have similarly exploded into the scene and have been at the forefront of the Post-Brexit New Wave movement, representing two sides of that same coin. Each has a unique and dynamic sound that’s amassed a cult-like following and together they packed in every square inch of The Wiltern. With this being the first time BCNR have played LA after a last minute cancellation of their US tour earlier this year due to the departure of Isaac Wood from the band, this felt like it was a must see show just to see them make their LA debut. Add into the mix that Black Midi would be headlining this leg of the tour after their release of the latest album, Hellfire and you just knew this would be a gig for the ages. Getting to the gig, you could see the excitement and restlessness of everyone that showed up, with people lining the street, anxious to get in so they didn’t miss opener BCNR. Seeing people run in the theater as soon as they stepped in was indicative of how sought after

Gorillaz, the Most Human Band, at Youtube Theatre

Rob Shepyer September 30, 2022

The events of Sunday September 25th at Youtube Theatre were moments I had dreamed of and wished for the last decade of my life, and finally, after loving Demon Days for so long, I finally got to see Gorillaz live at the Youtube Theatre. To me, there is no more beautiful music than this record and the live version released afterward. Not only do I think Gorillaz is beautiful, I consider it the most ‘human’ sounding music. By that I mean their range of songs carry the nuance and complexity hidden inside a full human life–the highs and lows, the bliss and calamity, every bit of turbulence the human race is steeped in and every shred of joy humans are blessed with, all have a place on Demons Days. 2001’s self titled album is incredible too, it’s the OG of Gorillaz’ catalogue, featuring “Clint Eastwood”, the song that made the band a household name. 2010’s Plastic Beach had a plenty of bangers, anthems and serenades featured in epic, dream-team collabs, while 2017’s Humanz may be their most slept-on album of the last five years, it’s just full of great songs from start to finish (speaking of the most ‘human’ music).

Glitz and Glamour: Roxy Music’s 50th Anniversary at The Kia Forum

Rob Shepyer September 30, 2022

The lasting legacy of Roxy Music is one of soul, style, and groundbreaking experimentation. You can hear the roots of so many different genres just by listening to Roxy Music. They weren’t necessarily setting out to produce so many artistic offspring when they began, they were trying to make music that was close to the heart—timeless tunes to make people dance and fall in love. They certainly achieved this at their 50th anniversary tour stop in Los Angeles at the Kia Forum because there, LA fell in love with the band all over again. It was a tour-de-force performance that saw every piece of the band at their best, slaying on their instruments and having the audience swaying their hips and singing along. Even though we’re far removed from the 70’s and 80’s, this show gave a modern audience a slice of a different time when people have much more style. Roxy Music alone could reinvigorate fashion and coolness for this generation, if we could just tap into Bryan Ferry’s vision more often. The more Bryan Ferry the world gets, the more things will improve, that I can guarantee you. This 50th Anniversary tour was so epic and monumental that

Photo Recap: Moderat at the Wiltern

Janky Smooth Central Command September 29, 2022

Berlin’s most powerful electronic trio, Moderat are the supergroup on the lips of everyone that loves deep electronic beats, whether they love to dance or just vibe to the overwhelming music they create. Their 2022 release More D4ta saw the band tour through the United States and stop at The Wiltern for their Los Angeles date. We got pictures from the night to give you a sense of the audio/visual splendor that went down and sent the audience into awe. Sascha Ring, Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary are proving that when it comes to Moderat, there is no such thing as moderation, it’s best to have as much as humanely possible. Photos by: Chris Molina Moderat

German Love Machines: Rammstein at LA Memorial Coliseum

Rob Shepyer September 28, 2022

Rammstein in-concert more closely resembles Mad Max’s Thunderome or Rollerball than your typical rock and roll show. The atmosphere is reminiscent of the best kind of 80’s dystopian cinema, life or death battles that pits man against machine as fire and music blast a rabid crowd salivating for more rock, sex, and violence. It gives new meaning to the words “Arena Rock”. Just like this author, Rammstein prefers a maximalist approach to performing. In fact, I struggle to think of any greater spectacle in all of music. No other marquee act, be they rock or rap, has the production value of Rammstein. These days the kings of rock and roll are the likes of Metallica, Tool, My Chemical Romance, Nine Inch Nails, and Iron Maiden, and still, none of them compare to a Rammstein show. Iron Maiden comes close, but when you behold Rammstein’s stage, you feel like you’ve entered an actual urban hellscape from the year 3000 as you stand before this industrial structure that houses the band for the next two hours. You wonder as you stand in awe of the A and B stage, how large is the crew that built this and how long did it

Photo Recap: Bad Bunny at Petco Park

Janky Smooth Central Command September 28, 2022

The people of Southern California have all got to admit and admire the phenomenon of Bad Bunny. He’s somehow beyond the mainstream, still an outsider in some respects, yet at the same time, he’s larger than life, perhaps larger than the music industry itself. It certainly feels this way when you go to a Bad Bunny concert. You can sense in the audience, their hearts are on fire for this artist and their music. If you struggle to understand the why, then I would suggest going to a Bad Bunny concert because then all the answers will come to you. These pictures from his show at Petco Park give only a small glimpse of how hard San Diego goes for Bad Bunny, with his upcoming show at Sofi Stadium, there’s plenty more Southern California love we have to give him. Opening the show was masterful DJ, Alesso, who only intensified the party atmosphere to make for an unforgettable one-two punch combo for the evening of dancing and fun. Photos by: Rebecca DiGiglio Bad Bunny Alesso

A Night at the Pantheon With Of Montreal at The Regent

Alfredo Luna September 27, 2022

With the recent release of their new album Freewave Lucifer f<ck f^ck f>ck, Of Montreal was ready to unleash their immersive sound onto the stage and illustrate the stories found here and within their deep and illusive discography. Teetering the line between a performance art and a live music can be tough to accomplish but what Of Montreal have done not only shatters expectations but also blurs the line between the two to take each to a different level. Joined by a supporting cast of characters, the Athens based indie art-pop group was able to put on a spectacle that captured the essence of why they have maintained somewhat of a cult following. Locate S,1 brought a funk-fueled electro-disco inspired set that had the crowd groovin’. The band, fronted by Christina Schneider, was the perfect bridging the gap into the main act, providing a space to let loose and feel the grooves. As the time grew near and in the most theater inspired fashion, the band came out with an emcee wearing a lucha mask, giving a rousing introduction and lay out of the criteria for the night. What stood out was their proclamation for everyone to challenge all norms

Cyber-Core: Vein. FM at the Echoplex

Danny Ryan September 22, 2022

Vein.fm’s signature blend of emotionally driven post-hardcore and ferocious metalcore with unpredictable glitchy electronic-based samples transformed the Echoplex into a violent cyperpunk apocalypse with their recent headlining performance. With the show starting at 6pm, they hosted a nearly festival-sized lineup of upcoming hardcore punk bands from all different sounds that shared a common theme of having intense, ass-beating breakdowns that inspire spin-kicks throughout the room. As hardcore punk gains more prominence with current trends, bands like Vein.fm and co-headliner Candy are beginning to break into the audiences of other heavy music scenes more than ever. If you’re a fan of punk rock, metal, or even heavier electronic IDM scenes at all, then Vein.fm should absolutely be one of the top bands on your radar. With the show starting at the incredibly early time of 6pm, the first opening acts of the night were Twist of Cain, Living Weapon, and Momentum. Each band brought their own unique brand of hardcore to the lineup, with Twist of Cain starting things off sounding raw as all hell with their lack of effects or electronics compared to the rest of the bands that evening. Twist of Cain has an incredibly down-to-earth hardcore sound with

The Sounds of Spring in Summer: Primavera Sound LA 2022

Rob Shepyer September 22, 2022

On the surface, Primavera Sound LA appeared to have an almost perfect lineup. There was something for everyone. Legendary rockers like Kim Gordon or Nine Inch Nails, extreme acts like Mayhem, exotic and rare imports like Arca, Drain Gang or Chai, young bands on the verge of greatness like Amyl and the Sniffers or Dry Cleaning, or massive millennial bands like Cigarettes After Sex and Fontaines D.C. For those who fancy themselves adventurers across the modern musical landscape, this was a necessary expedition. I checked many bands off my must-see list all in one weekend and these weren’t even the headliners. If Primavera Sound could be defined by two things though, they would be expert curation of international artists and an unforgettable set by Nine Inch Nails. related content: Stroking to LCD: This Ain’t No Picnic Prior to Primavera weekend starting, I checked out Dark Side‘s Hollywood Forever show, their first performance since 2014. It was a mind-bending musical experience, transcendent of whatever it is we call psychedelic rock into something beyond genre or ideals. With this in my rear view mirror, I had high hopes for their performances finishing Primavera’s opening day on Friday along with the rest of