
Tag: fonda theatre

Gary Numan and Frontline Assembly at The Fonda: An Evening of Synths and Industrial Bliss
On April 7, 2024, The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles welcomed the eager fans of Gary Numan and Frontline Assembly with a line stretching around the block. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as the doors swung open, revealing a packed theater ready to witness both artists take the stage. Frontline Assembly kicked off the evening with a thunderous set that fused industrial beats with haunting melodies. Starting right on time, they strode from the darkness and exploded with sound. Playing classics like “Mindphaser” and crashing into newer tracks that showcased their evolution, Frontline Assembly delivered a performance that was as intense as it was mesmerizing. The entire band performed with an energy that set the stage for an incredible night. The crowd, bathed in pulsating lights and engulfed in a wall of sound, was entranced from start to finish. Related: Nitzer Ebb And Flow – A Night Of Dance And Darkness At The Music Box Soon after Frontline Assembly exited, Gary Numan took the stage and from the opening notes he captured the audience with his enduring sound. He delivered a career-spanning set that perfectly balanced his early, more pop-oriented sounds with the darker, industrial leanings of his later work.

Ritual Between Stars, Sun and Moon: Molchat Doma at the Fonda Theatre
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 to American Nightmare at the Fonda
One of the most influential and trendsetting modern hardcore bands of all time has got to be Boston’s American Nightmare. These guys have elevated hardcore music to the level of rockstars and they’re coming to the Fonda to pummel you all with the classics and we’re giving away two tickets to the bloodbath. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO AMERICAN NIGHTMARE JANUARY 14TH AT THE FONDA 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 AMERICAN NIGHTMARE Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON JANUARY 12TH AT 1PM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION

Photo Recap: Idles at the Fonda Theatre
Every few years, there seems to be new, incoming waves and incarnations of what American’s call The UK Invasion. I don’t think any invasion in military history has lasted this long. It’s a part of American musical life, this cycle of American music scenes being refined by British artists, meanwhile the scene dies down in America until those British Artists tour the states and completely take over. Idles is the latest sensation to lead the pack of artists that have breathed new life into the American punk scene, bringing garage influence to bigger stages than most American bands have in years. The band sold out three nights at the Fonda, filling the venue with their power punk sound, turning shows into massive, Dioynisian shindigs. Opening for the band was Gustaf, a Brooklyn band with lethal doses of swagger and cool, balancing art rock, no wave, punk, and funk. Idles Gustaf

Take This: Win Two Tickets to Yves Tumor
Blending psych rock, art pop, and R&B, Yves Tumor have pushes the boundaries of music as a form of artistic expression. They’re coming to the Observatory and Fonda and we’ve got pairs of tickets to give away for each. ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO YVES TUMOR MARCH 13TH AT THE FONDA OR 14TH AT THE OBSERVATORY 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, TWITTER, or FACEBOOK Yves Tumor Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON MARCH 9TH AT 11AM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION

Spontaneous Combustion of the Soul: Dinosaur Jr. at the Fonda
There’s a call to the rocks. The siren isn’t calling you your doom. It’s calling you to feel the pain of everyone and then feel nothing. The silvery wizard inside the Fonda, inside his tower built with Marshall Amplifiers, his spellbook is prolific, his voice…his voice tells you it’s suffered, it’s telling you it knows you have too, despite the suffering and loss you too can wear a Mishka tee and baseball cap while shaking the rust off the bones of what seems to be everyone who didn’t die in the 90’s alt-rock scene that has gathered inside the theater made by Morgan, Walls & Clements. related content: Silver Lake Perris: Desert Daze 2019 The fall brought the Mount Rushmore of sad bastard music to Los Angeles. Rob Smith claimed Pasadena, Nick Cave DTLA, J Mascis Hollywood, Billy Corgan Highland Park, Moz was here too but we pretend he wasn’t. It’s something in the air. Santa Ana’s, with the help of PG&E, lit forests like candles in a vigil. The days when the only crises you had to worry about were existential are gone. All that remains is the music and the people who don’t seem to mind. Myself included.

I Love You, Laura Jane Grace: Against Me! at the Fonda
Can you love someone without actually knowing them personally? Last week, Against Me! celebrated their 10 year anniversary of the album “White Crosses.” There was a pit in my stomach and a quiet resistance to hear this album performed live that was matched equally with excitement. 2009 was an extremely tough year for me. I remember exactly when “White Crosses” was released because I was lucky enough to hear it two weeks before the general public did and it quickly became a soundtrack to keep me sane in the shit-storm I was experiencing at the time. I love this album, however, I rarely listen to it these days because I do my best to push the memories from that time deep in the back of my mind. So when Laura Jane Grace mentioned that she hated nostalgia before sharing with the audience the pain that she had been experiencing at the time Against Me! recorded “White Crosses”, it resonated to the core. related content: Against Me! Stuns At The Observatory Before Punk Rock Bowling Early in the show, a fan yelled out “I love you, Laura Jane Grace” and she mockingly responded “You don’t even know me!” I thought in my mind

Take This: Win Two Tickets to Pond at the Fonda
Australia’s psych rock imports are becoming a thing of legend in Los Angeles and as we’ve reported before, 2019 was the year the wave finally broke and cam crashing into all our hearts. Among the bands of the Aussie invasion, Pond create some of the trippiest most sunshine psych rock this side of the pacific. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE OR: ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO POND SEPTEMBER 29TH AT THE FONDA 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, TWITTER, or FACEBOOK Pond Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON SEPTEMBER 27TH AT 11AM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION

Take This: Win Two Tickets to Zakk Sabbath at the Fonda
The Power of the Riff is one of the best festivals in Los Angeles and this year they’re presenting Zakk Sabbath with a slew of great acts at the Fonda Theatre. When I say slew of great acts, I mean Fu Manchu, The Wraith, and Entry and perhaps the most intriguing name of all on the bill is its host, former That Metal Show host Don Jamieson. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE OR: ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO ZAKK SABBATH AUGUST 30TH AT THE FONDA 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, TWITTER, or FACEBOOK Zakk Sabbath Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON AUGUST 28TH AT 11AM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION

Dais Party: Drab Majesty’s Modern Mirror Record Release at the Fonda
Since 2007, Dais Records has illuminated artists that challenge the audiophile’s idea of post-punk, and the sold-out Fonda theatre’s guests on July 26 were no exception. Los Angeles’ own rising goth-gaze stars Drab Majesty launched their expansive tour of Modern Mirror, their third studio album, accompanied by the dynamic synth-pop brothers in Body of Light and the imposing industrial phenomenon, HIDE. related content: Deb Demure’s Modern Mirror: Drab Majesty Interview July 26 must have been a pivotal evening for Andrew and Alex Jarson of Body of Light, as it not only marked this performance, but also the release of their second album, Time to Kill. When synth player Andrew emerged alone, diving into an artificial and otherworldly-sounding interlude fit for an early ‘80s sci-fi movie, no one could have expected what would come. Suddenly, Alex emerged from a blood red fog while a synth-pop beat began to take form. Although initially reminiscent of Depeche Mode or Soft Cell, the duo has something that is distinctly their own: Alex’s bursting energy. Going into the album’s third track, “Don’t Pretend,” they were contained to the stage, but by the time they reached the chorus, Alex had jumped from the stage, into the

Take This: Win Two Tickets to Citizen & Knuckle Puck at the Fonda
Two of the best emo bands of this generation have combined forces into one stellar tour. Knuckle Puck and Citizen are coming to the Fonda to make you mosh, cry, and kiss, and we’ve got two tickets to give away to the show. BE THERE OR BE SQUARE. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE OR: ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO KNUCKLE PUCK & CITIZEN MAY 31ST AT THE FONDA THEATRE Step 1- Join Our Newsletter (look for pop up everytime you arrive at jankysmooth.com) Step 2 – Tag a Friend in the comment section of our INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, or FACEBOOK Knuckle Puck/Citizen Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON MAY 27TH AT 11AM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION

As Real as Punk Gets: Bouncing Souls and the Bronx at the Fonda
I have trouble thinking of a band that makes pop punk music as lasting and classic as the Bouncing Souls. Their three decades of real and romantic pop punk music, created by with the same four original members, has impacted multiple genres of punk from emo, to hardcore, to pop punk. The Bouncing Souls were always on the outskirts of the 90’s mall punk tsunami but all this time, they’ve kept a lasting, steady, and diehard following that has more devotion than the biggest bands could ever wish for. related content: Jawbreaker At Riot Fest: The Moment I Stopped Hating Pop Punk Hailing from New Brunswick, New Jersey, heritage has everything to do with the realness and low key vibe of the Bouncing Souls. Their lyrics always hit home to anyone who lives for good times with friends and hopeless romance. You can tell this band’s parents listened to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. It’s almost like if Billy Joel had a punk band. These maladies could get the drunks in any down and out piano dive bar to sing all the words. To celebrate their 30 years of making punk hearts float, Bouncing Souls took their Crucial Moments