Tag: the hi hat

Gore Obsessed: Exhumed at the Hi Hat

Rob Shepyer November 10, 2019

This Halloween concert season was remarkable. There were incredible shows to go to form metal to punk to goth within the two week late October/early November span that saw people partying all over Los Angeles. Upon this chosen Sunday, I had numerous options as to where I should bleed my ears but if I wanted to capture the true spirit of halloween, it was going to be with gore and the goriest there is is a little death metal band called Exhumed. They quite literally rip, both on the guitar and on the chainsaw. I arrived at the Hi Hat to see BrucexCampbell, a brutal and crusty grindcore band that absolutely crushed with every belching lyric. This hulking sort of core could’ve only been produced by Angelinos that came from a tough upbringing with a true connection to the underground. Posers beware, this band will bite your fucking head off. Next up was a band I feel will one day be as spoken of in the same ranks as legendary bands like Sepultura and that’s Necrot, a blackened death metal band from Oakland, California. The songs absolutely ripped the Hi Hat to shreds and indispersed with the musical brutality, the singer would tell

Boston Calling: Sound and Fury 2019

Rob Shepyer July 24, 2019

Words by: Rob Shepyer Photos by: Albert Licano, Anthony Mehlhaff, and Veronika Reinert I feel like every year I go to Sound and Fury, I end up thinking it was the best Sound and Fury I’ve ever been to. 2018 was the festival’s first time at the Belasco, with California’s beloved Rotting Out reuniting to headline Friday, Ceremony closing out the main fest and Iron Age reuniting for an after show at the tiny Resident. Before that, 2017 had Incendiary headline the Regent but also play Five Star Bar the night before, along with Nails, for an after show that had chairs and real punches swinging in the pit. My first Sound and Fury, 2016 featured an unforgettable Ceremony set and was the only time I’ve ever seen my favorite black metal band, Taake, at an after show. related content: Sound And Fury Hardcore Festival Comes Of Age All Across Los Angeles And yet, taking all of these experiences into account, I still feel Sound and Fury 2019 is the undisputed champion. Why? Simply because Have Heart created a concert atmosphere that was so crazed, I’ve never seen anything like it, nor probably will ever again. Seeing it happen in the

Hell is a Laughing Matter: The Manx at the Hi Hat

Rob Shepyer April 12, 2019

If you remember the classic 80’s film, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, you’ll know what it feels like to see cartoon characters walking among actual, real life people. That’s what seeing The Manx feels like, like an extreme band all the toons would go see and mosh to. They’re wacky, spontaneous, funny, and deliver a sound and performance like nothing else you could see in Los Angeles or otherwise. Only those versed in cartoon logic will understand the concept of the Manx and luckily every child worth a damn was raised on cartoons. related content: Janky Smooth Top 25 Artists To Watch In 2019 Opening this first night of The Manx’s Tuesday Hi Hat April residency was Drac and the Swamp Rats a band that portrays famous horror movie monsters onstage while playing powerful, groovy rock and roll. They have a garage rock sound and sensibility that the body cannot deny. Even the most cynical hipsters who might scoff at theatrics couldn’t deny music this good. This band doesn’t need to dress up but it definitely adds to the fun and Dracula, the band’s lead singer, plays his character with plenty of sass and irony. Drac’s eyes have witnessed an eternity

United Kingdom, United Scene: Basement at the Hi Hat

Rob Shepyer October 17, 2018

When you listen to Basement, you hear so many different styles of rock converging into one sweeping underground sound that whether you’re into alternative, emo, or hardcore, you feel pain, pleasure, and everything in between. These young chaps from the United Kingdom call themselves melodic hardcore but hardcore is the least of what you hear if you span the Basement catalogue. They’ve recorded a song for every scene but don’t alienate anyone in those scenes. It’s no wonder all these different people came together to sell out Basement’s Hi Hat show the same day tickets were made available. Basement could draw at a much larger venue at this point so this show was something of a rare treat. related content: Nirvana Leads To Nothing… At The Regent Basement’s 2018 North American West Coast tour featured San Francisco’s Pllush as the opening band. A sweet and meaningful shoe-gaze experience, Pllush plays long, drawn out riffs that seemingly come straight from the heart. Featuring three women on strings and a guy on the kit, every member of Pllush balances a delicate sound with a mean punch. Pleasant Hill’s Elder Brother plays an emo that could’ve only been spawned in Nor Cal. It’s got chill vibrations

Bullies or Buddies: Los Angeles Music Blogs and the Scenes They Cover

Janky Smooth Central Command May 3, 2017

A solid three years into the game, COOL TITE bring it fresher and bigger than ever. Crystal, Mat, and Sergio are all about keeping it D.I.Y. and Janky Smooth wants to acknowledge and participate in how local music blogs in LA, like CT, contribute to and enrich the community, stay connected to share what music we’re all digging at the moment and to tell music fans more about when the music from that band you love is set to be played at a show, at your favorite venue nearby, or when they are releasing new music. Without confirming with COOL TITE directly that they feel the same way, I know the people at Janky Smooth feel like they are an extension of the sounds emitting from the city and collaborators of sorts that prop up the scene and some of the bands in it. When I use the word “collaborate” it’s not to insinuate that the BEST blogs work in conjunction with bands as a promotional arm- no. Leave that to Pitchfork or COS. related: Mind Meld Mondays at The Echo Continue Bringing Highest Value The collaboration is to relay the straight dope, raw dog like a conversation with