Tag: featured
Lolipop Your Heart Out Festival Was Like Sex and Pizza
Paige Vreede
February 10, 2016
Ever have sex with someone and after about ten minutes in you realize both parties are only continuing the sexual activity purely based on the hope that the other person might find slight enjoyment out of it? Realistically, you both want to just high five and call it a good attempt but you go through the motions in hopes that one of you MIGHT climax? Yeah, that’s sort of how Lolipop Your Heart Out went at The Teragram Ballroom. I’m still unsure as to whether the energy and outcome was so low due to the 5pm start time- primetime to still be recovering from Friday nights hangover. Or perhaps it was because the entrance price was $26, which can be a lot for a starving artist who’s living in a city that is gentrifying and going up in rental price at an absurdly rapid rate. Maybe it could’ve even been because the One Oh freakin’ One was closed on a Saturday afternoon (I call shenanigans!). Whatever the reason for the small crowd, it was mildly disappointing to see such a small turn out for what should’ve been an epic evening brought to you by Lolipop Records. Janky Smooth did a series
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The First Friday of First Fridays 2016 at Natural History Museum
Danny Baraz
February 9, 2016
It’s baaaaack. First Friday’s at The Natural History Museum returned this week for it’s first installment of the season. I’ve been wanting to go the past few years but had yet to make it to Exposition Park to check out one of the events that test the conventional wisdom that Los Angeles is devoid of culture in the mainstream. And yes, even though independent entities such as KCRW, LA Weekly and Spaceland Presents are at the helm, you could hardly call those established institutions alternative, anymore. Those institutions are still tastemakers but more geared towards well rounded, functioning adults than they are towards angsty teens lost in a drug psychosis. There is always an educational aspect to First Friday musical lineups. Not sure if the education compliments the entertainment or vice versa. This week, the Natural History Museum hosted a spotlight on science in movies with a tour led by Lisa Gonzales, Assistant Collections Manager of Entomology. The musical itinerary was highlighted by headliners, The Hood Internet, along with funk band, Boulevards and electro producer, Spazzkid. The side room DJ’s Aaron Byrd and Anthony Valadez harnessed an impressive energy amongst the Friday night crowd and definitely got the crowd moving.
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The New S. A.- The New Sound Alliance Voter Registration Org
Danny Baraz
February 3, 2016
Janky Smooth is proud to launch The New S.A.- The New Sound Alliance. We endorse no candidates. We are Americans. We support a more responsible version of capitalism. Our only mission is to register first time voters to insure that only candidates that represent “the People” of The United States of America receive sufficient representation in US Government. Please; Register to Vote now and JOIN THE NEW SOUND ALLIANCE. Our first event will take place in late May, 2016. We will be well past Super Tuesday, with a much clearer picture of the General Election. Full lineup, location and special guests announced soon. Join our newsletter and you will be informed of everything we are involved in and it will act as your RSVP to all our free events. Please share this post if you are interested in registering first time voters. WE stand at a crossroads. We can no longer talk about how much we care about this issue or that issue and then say “Someone else will take up the fight but right now, we have to worry about our own thang”. Time to decide where we stand in all this before The United States of America is unlivable for
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Opening Bands Shine as OFF! Plays Alex’s Bar 16 Year Anniversary
Danny Baraz
February 3, 2016
Alex’s Bar in Long Beach knows how to celebrate their milestones.. In their 16th year, Alex’s Bar has managed to survive the early years of the many obstacles put in their path by the city of Long Beach to become the most important music venue in the city. Maybe it’s because of this that the celebrations they put together to mark their anniversaries are so notable. It’s always predicated on making sure it’s twice as fun by making it a two night affair. Last year, it was two nights of Rocket From The Crypt This year, for their 16 year anniversary, they booked Keith Morris’ OFF! to play two consecutive nights. Alex’s Bar: 15 Years of Punk Gratitude w/ Rocket from the Crypt What’s left to say about OFF!? I wrote about OFF! in great detail after their show at The Echo. Keith Morris, Dimitri Coats, Steven McDonald and Mario Rubalcaba deserve every word of praise they get for their achievement of making honest, hardcore punk music in this world of corporate numbers crunching. Please check out my piece on OFF! playing The Echo last year. OFF! Transform The Echo From Peaceful Indie Venue To House of Raw Aggression No.
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The Shrine: Mongrels of Rock Unleash “Rare Breed” on L.A.
Danny Baraz
January 25, 2016
There is something filthy growing and developing in the city of Los Angeles. Amongst all the PC, progressive, sensitive and compassionate artists and musicians, there is a misogynistic, self destructive, self promoting beast of rock and roll forming. In recent years, amongst all the amazing indie rock acts that vary between psych and garage punk, there is a thick layer of sensitivity acting as a buffer and protecting the youth against it’s rough edges. With a large share of NorCal guitar heroes trying to escape the tech gentrification of the Bay Area, underground icons like Ty Segall and John Dwyer have relocated their base of operations to the slightly less prohibitive cost of living in L.A. With their intense, yet sensitive aesthetics, their vibe is a completely non offensive one. All the past imagery of the rock and roll lifestyle, which included the objectification of women and an unapologetic personal excess have all but disappeared from the rock and roll narrative. Enter, The Shrine. The LA born trio of rockers led by Josh Landau draw on the rejected modalities of rock music and Americana as hot, trampy women gyrate on stage to guitar riffs that conjure Slayer more than they
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Janky Smooth’s Top 20 Artists to Watch in 2016
Danny Baraz
January 15, 2016
In identifying Janky Smooth’s Artists to Watch in 2016, there were a number of factors to take into consideration. There are different levels and plateaus musicians can ascend to in their careers. There is the release of their first EP/7”. There is the release of their debut album and of course, the all-important sophomore LP. Any predicted success after those milestones is hardly a prediction unless it involves a comeback. When we define our artists to watch in 2016, it is using any and all of these criteria to identify buzz worthy bands. We want to help our readers get the jump on artists before corporate money corrupts their artistic process too much. While there are bands in this list based in cities other than Los Angeles, LA is our home base and seeing these bands live is a part of the process of selection. If you can’t do it live, you can’t do it! This is Janky Smooth’s List of Artists to Watch in 2016 20. Cavanaugh- Collaboration between Open Mike Eagle and Serengeti Time & Materials by Cavanaugh (Open Mike Eagle & Serengeti) 19. So Pitted- Punk/Post Punk Seattle Group on Sub Pop Records neo by
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Mike Watt & Dirty Laundry TV: South Bay Slam Fest at Harvard and Stone
Taylor Wong
January 14, 2016
It has been quite some time since I have been to Harvard and Stone specifically for music. Don’t get me wrong, I am there at least once a week because it is by far the best bar with the best bartenders in LA. But ever since Andrew Huggy stopped booking the shows, the nights have been kind of meh. Luckily, Adam Mayes took over the Thursday night bookings and has helped book some amazing shows like the New Years show with Jesse Hughes of Eagles of Death Metal. Tonight, we were graced with an epic Dirty Laundry TV show with Mid-Coitus, Mike Watt and the Missingmen, Death Hymn Number 9, and Zig Zags. I unfortunately did not make it for Mid-Coitus due to being misinformed on the start time of the show. I made it to Harvard and Stone and immediately was amazed by the size of the line. I get inside to Mike Watt and The Missingmen already playing and the house was packed to the brim. I fought my way to the front to grab some shots. Oh yeah, if you didn’t catch that, Mike Watt (headliner of the night) played second. Apparently he can do that and
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Ty Segall And The Muggers Play Secret Warm Up Gig at Silverlake Lounge
Taylor Wong
January 6, 2016
“Secret shows” are not a rare thing in LA. Ty Segall seems to have one every few months. Previously, Segall had been booking the secret, Monday shows at the Griffin with Jason Finazzo of The Birth Defects. Last night I had the pleasure of attending a secret show with Ty Segall and his new band, The Muggers. I heard about this show last minute and rushed over to the Silverlake Lounge. I thought I was on time when I got there at 8:50 and got a parking spot right in front of the bar. There was a line of about 10 people so again, I thought I had won. I soon realized the line was a result of the show already reaching capacity from all the ticket sales. Secret shows are never actually a secret here in LA. I got lucky and met a guy who’s girl friend bailed so I bought him a beer in exchange for his ticket. I got in just in time to catch the end of the opening band by the name of “the band”. “The Band”, in fact, turned out to be none other than shredder Charles Moothart’s outfit, CFM and will be joining
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Makaha Bowl Jam And Food Drive 2015: The Real Venice Rec League
Danny Baraz
January 6, 2016
It’s Saturday morning in Venice California and while there may be some AYSO volunteer somewhere painting lines on some patch of grass, the real Venice rec. league is gathering at the skate park for one of the annual events that brings the neighborhood together. Generations of families gathered at the edges of the bowls and along the edges of the snake run to both reminisce and to take a look to the future. Skateboarding has replaced Little League and flag football in this town and neighboring communities. The high water mark skateboarding first left in this city decades ago is still visible. It is wrapped up in the very identity of Venice. Skateboarding will also make sure that the less fortunate become a little MORE fortunate this holiday season. It’s time for another Makaha Bowl Jam and Food Drive, the annual event that helps feed the homeless and identify the next generation of skateboarding stars that have been brought up on Hinano Burgers. To the casual observer, The Makaha Bowl Jam might be just a little neighborhood skate contest of little consequence. What it actually is, is decades of storylines developing into countless new chapters. This once blue collar community,
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Moogfest Brings Dial Tones Event to Ace Hotel Los Angeles
Justin Cornwall
December 29, 2015
Moogfest, Nosaj Thing and Dublab teamed up Sunday (12/20) night to bring LA “Dial-Tones”. The hour long presentation consisted of quick improvised performances by Nosaj Thing, Emily Kokal (Warpaint), DJ Dodger Stadium, Teebs, D Tiberio, Shlomo and many more. The event was partly to promote Moogfest 2016, who recently released their lineup, along with synthesizer building workshops that were held at the Ace Hotel during the day. Synthesizers (specifially Moog Werkstatt stations) built during the workshops were then later used as instruments for the performance. You may be familiar with the name Moog – but not many people know they were the FIRST to commercially manufacture modular analog synthesizers. And this all got started back in the 1960’s, far before dance music had any type of footing. Robert Moog (1934-2000), behind it all, is recognized as the pioneer of electronic music – his legacy is still in full swing today. Artists including Kraftwerk, Donna Summer, The Beach Boys and many others would not have cornerstones of their sound had it not been for Moog equipment. Nowadays, the Moog Music product lines include everything from bass synth keyboards, to an electric guitar and line of effects pedals, and plans to re-produce the original
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The Bronx And Friends Bring Holiday Chaos to Teragram Ballroom
Danny Baraz
December 24, 2015
For those who spend time thinking about it, the evolution of punk rock is a fascinating progression. From it’s origins of out of tune power chords being banged out as an expression of rage and frustration by a minority of well informed youngsters, to it’s corporate acceptance and well polished image of typical teenage angst, it just won’t die away, as predicted. To me, The Bronx are the apex of the punk rock format. A group of ultra talented and polished musicians with one of the most charismatic frontmen in any genre. I think The Bronx have stretched punk rock to it’s furthest limits with musicality and raw power. Last week, lead singer Matt Caughthran and crew brought their White Drugs Xmas Party to The Teragram Ballroom for two consecutive nights of holiday cheer. Night 1 featured The Bronx spinoff, Mariachi El Bronx and a complimentary set of opening acts and Night 2 featured The Bronx OG format. After seeing Mariachi El Bronx a couple times in 2015, I opted to go see The Bronx for the first time in awhile. Also on the bill was yet another project by Caughthran, The Drips along with San Diego Noise/Grindcore outfit Retox. The
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Fuzz & Thee Oh Sees Bring Holiday Help To Homeless in L.A.
Danny Baraz
December 22, 2015
Moments before John Dwyer and Thee Oh Sees took the stage at The Teragram Ballroom for the Holiday Homeless Charity Event, L.A. Kitchen chief, Robert Egger exclaimed, “If you have something bad to say about L.A. then Fuck You!” This sentence was the punctuation to the announcement of how much money was raised by the two day benefit show that was organized by west coast tour booking behemoth, Panache Booking, in conjunction with Thee Oh Sees. It’s almost as if Egger was making a public reply to a private conversation with someone involved with the show. Seeing as both Segall and Dwyer are Bay Area transplants, it wouldn’t surprise me. No one is harder on Los Angeles than NorCal hipsters. After all, outsiders and Johnny Come Lately’s aren’t allowed to criticize our complex city and all it’s nuance and eccentricities. Only those who are born and raised in the city of dream chasing and head fucking can legitimately disseminate it’s many strengths and weaknesses. Most attendees didn’t give a shit about the plotlines anyway. They were just happy to see Ty Segall’s band, Fuzz and up and comers Wand on the bill alongside Dwyer and his king of indie bands,
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