Category: SHOWS

Analysis of a Slavic Heart: Molchat Doma at the Roxy

Rob Shepyer April 21, 2022

It is my personal mission to spread the creed of Molchat Doma far and wide across the So-Cal internet airwaves. I feel so compelled because like me, these three men are of Slavic descent, them from Belarus and myself, the child of Russian-Ukrainian immigrants. More than that though, my father was a Ukrainian musician that immigrated to America, hoping to make it in the music industry. He never accomplished this dream but Molchat Doma’s success is a vicarious victory. If they can break out through the (former) iron curtain and into the international mainstream to play Coachella then it’s almost like they fulfilled my father’s dream and so, I will do whatever I can to uplift these three dreamers. related content: Super Saiyan Sasami At The Teragram Ballroom My background doesn’t just make me empathize with and root for this band, it helps me understand them. I understand what elements make a Slavic heart and the textures of Slavic emotion. Much of this is hard to put into words but for the length of this article, I will do my best. Eastern Europeans feel melodrama in a way Americans simply don’t, at least not on the surface. We might be

Your Baroness’ Majesty: Baroness at The Echo

Dillon Vaughn April 20, 2022

John Baizley and co. rolled through Echo Park recently for “An Evening with Baroness.” Pitched as a special “by request” tour, the Your Baroness run has given fans in each city the opportunity to vote and select ten songs from the band’s rich catalogue to form the first half of the extended setlist each night. related content: Hell or High Roller: Psycho Las Vegas 2021 John’s work as an illustrator has always given an interesting picture of how his brain perceives the world around him. The Appalachian roars of Baroness’ earlier days served as the defining framework of the “Savannah Sound” – something nearly inseparable from John’s contemporary art-nuveau cover art. Those lush depictions of flora and fauna drifting weightlessly across countless LP covers have seeped into the music more and more over the years as the songs themselves have become increasingly melodic, anthemic, and dare I say uplifting. On stage these days it’s clear Baizley and his bandmates take great pride and meaning in their music as they play every note with a balance of grace and heaviness. Their strength definitely lies in their range: skillful restraint as they perform sleeper tracks like “Cocainium” and “Little Things” versus palpable

Super Saiyan Sasami at the Teragram Ballroom

Rob Shepyer April 19, 2022

Those who attended Desert Daze’s legendary 2019 installment will never forget Sasami‘s set. It was sweet, tender and psychedelic. Sprinkled with her signature screeches, the band separated themselves into a different league than the rest of the lineup. It was clear to me that Sasami Ashworth was willing to take risks the rest of the LA indie scenesters weren’t dabbling with. That was in a different world though, now, after so much global turmoil, Sasami has evolved into a different artist altogether. Her latest album, Squeeze, has heavy metal, industrial and hardcore moments that are so potent, that instead of being the outlier of the LA indie scene, the scene changes to the music. The Nagas serpent woman that adorns the cover represents Sasami’s anime-esque character arc where a hero or villain needs to show their true form to stand a chance in battle. Slithering, coiling, and constricting with four arms on each side of her serpentine tail, Sasami reminds me of the light version of Naruto’s Orochimaru mixed with a bit of Takashi Miike cinema. related content: Silver Lake Perris: Desert Daze 2019 The concert in question at the Teragram Ballroom was the last stop on Sasami’s tour. This

How to Wage Class Warfare: D.O.A. at the Roxy

Rob Shepyer April 17, 2022

“Listen to your elders”, though punk rock is eternally young, the timeless adage applies to this rebel art form. Since D.O.A.‘s groundbreaking 2nd album, Hardcore ’81, the genre they helped create has gone through many evolutions and branching-offs until it doesn’t quite resemble its original sonic or thematic mold. Hardcore doesn’t need to change their sounds, but it wouldn’t hurt to listen to Godfather punk bands like D.O.A. more, not just to be inspired by that original, tested and proven sound, but to relearn what the true ethos and political/existential stance punk is supposed to stand for. related content: Sacred Vibration: Guided By Voices At Teragram The moment D.O.A. broke into “Class War”, off the band’s third album, War on 45, introducing the song by saying “the only war worth fighting is a class war” I knew all bets were off. D.O.A. and bands from their era never failed to mince words, opting to make songs with straight forward messaging, striking metaphor, ruthless aggression and artistic bravery that also get the party and pit going full speed. Hardcore these days is much more interested in brutality. There’s nothing wrong with that but in times like these when we can’t quite

Dungeon Demon: Hulder at Don Quixote

Rob Shepyer April 16, 2022

Black metal is like black caviar, a rare and special treat not to be consumed everyday for every meal but on those much needed occasions when you need to feel truly alive. Grizzly, noisy, hazy, and atmospheric are the usual descriptors the mind shuffles through trying to synthesize the experience of listening to this purely underground genre. However, when seeing Hulder live, my mind was more consumed with the thought of power, in awe of how much she was able to harness when performing on stage. It’s not just in her demonic vocals or the way she wields a black guitar, or even a sword for that matter, it’s the entirety of her presence. You sense that this person has integrated the genre so deeply into their core, that they’ve become an actual warrior. As if there’s some kind of medieval mitochondria the black metal injected into her cells to give her the fortitude to be Hulder. related content: Satyricon’s Final Los Angeles Show At The Regent: A Night Too Blackened To Forget Women in black metal isn’t common. It’s not unheard of but it’s certainly not the reason Hulder is special. Hulder is special because she commands an audience,

Hardcore Disco: HEALTH at 1720

Danny Ryan April 13, 2022

Words by: Danny Ryan Photos by: Manuel Arredondo Health’s record release show at 1720 Warehouse was an excellent demonstration of their ability to incorporate the widest-array of contrasting sounds and emotions into their artistic vision. Their dedication to breaking ground in the incorporation of these genres was on full display, from the diversity of the crowd to the band’s ambitious blend of industrial, noise, goth, synth, metal, hardcore punk and shoegaze influences blasting throughout the venue. With their new album “Disco4: Pt. 2” comprising of different guest features on every track, Health proves that their signature style can collaborate with any artist without straying away from sounding like themselves. This show was an ideal celebration for the release of this new album. Even with most of the set being comprised of their solo works, Health is presenting their fusion of these genres in a powerful manner. Health always distinctively sounds like Health, no matter which artists they are featuring or taking influence from. From an outsider’s perspective, it would have been very difficult to discern which genre of music they would be seeing that night. Mesh tops and leather outfits evoking industrial style could be seen throughout the venue, as

Photo Recap: Jawbreaker Celebrates 25 Years of Dear You at The Wiltern

Janky Smooth Central Command April 10, 2022

For three nights, punk legends Jawbreaker celebrated the 25th anniversary of their album, Dear You. Jankysmooth sent our photographer to capture the emotional evening of music which featured opening performances of The Linda Lindas and Face to Face. From the youngest punk band on the scene to icons of the genre, this string of shows will go down in LA punk history. Jawbreaker Face to Face The Linda Lindas

Happiness and Misery: Lights at the Glass House

Janky Smooth Central Command April 10, 2022

Words and Photos by: Veronika Reinert It’s been several years since electro-pop sensation, Lights, has ventured down from her home base in Canada to perform live in the U.S. Her “Baby I’m Back” tour celebrates the debut of her fifth studio album, PEP. The record is her second release put out by Fueled By Ramen, adding her to their roster of distinguished artists such as Panic! at the Disco, Paramore, and Twenty One Pilots. “PEP is the dichotomy between happiness and absolute misery,” Lights told the crowd during her set on April 8th at The Glass House in Pomona, CA. Flipped upside down, the word “PEP” appears as “dEd.” The album’s aesthetic theme of bright red, yellow, and blue primary colors “make [her] feel happy,” she explained. This particular show was exactly one week out from her album release, giving fans just enough time to become familiar with the record to sing along with her live. Joined by Jess Bowen (drums) and Brodie Tavares (guitar and bass), Lights took the stage on the hottest day of the month at the sweltering Glass House for a diverse and enthusiastic, albeit sweaty, fan base. While Lights and her bandmates donned red, yellow,

Sacred Vibration: Guided by Voices at Teragram

Rob Shepyer April 9, 2022

Monty bar was popping off long before Guided by Voices hit the stage at the Teragram a few doors down. The band were busy downing Miller Lights and rubbing shoulders with the fans that keep the GBV legend strong. At first, my understanding of Guided by Voices’ cult status was merely a reflection of their prolificness. Having recorded 35 albums, one expects every show to last at least three hours, with a setlist spanning decades. Such was the case for this night where for 50 songs, Robert Pollard and company pulled out all the stops and gave fans the full GBV experience. After getting acquainted with the fans of Guided by Voices, it became much clearer to me why this band is so beloved that people will travel from different continents just to follow them around on tour or go to one show in Los Angeles. There were fans from New York, Seattle, Wales and Australia in our circle as we waited for the band to go on. Everyone was so incredibly welcoming and excited about seeing their favorite band that their enthusiasm made me want to join the family myself, in an admittedly poser move. I was curious though,

Pixel Grip at Das Bunker by Rossellini Rogel

Pixel Grip, Spike Hellis and Black Light Odyssey find refuge at Das Bunker

Danny Baraz April 2, 2022

Two words: Das Bunker. Yes, it was that time again for your most militant music mixer. Catch One was the vessel- the living, breathing historic Los Angeles structure acting like a Viet Cong tunnel bunker, hiding nooks and crannies of DJ’s and bands dropping bombs from behind velvet ropes on the various multitudes of creatures of the night. It has been awhile since my last Das Bunker and as a result, my mental health has suffered but the combination of Pixel Grip and Spike Hellis on the line up had me fucked up. Adorning myself in the blackest of the black, I traveled toward the lights. A Yang looking for it’s Yin and all the stunning mutants littered through this character filled venue were beautiful, aloof and might’ve been searching for connection, sex and/or cocaine and other substances to fuel whatever was going to happen on this night. Das Bunker archives at Janky Smooth And what happened was significant. First off, I was here to see Pixel Grip. Their early evening performance at Substance in December was understated in the line-up but revelatory and I dove into them head first after that show. Unwillingly born into the defunct but never

Defenders of the Underground: AFI at the Palladium

Rob Shepyer March 31, 2022

Everyone wants to see an old school AFI set. The band tries to appease these pleas by giving fans a few crumbs from the latter part of this era, with songs like the anthemic opener, “Strength Through Wounding” off Black Sails in the Sunset, or “The Lost Souls” off Sing the Sorrow‘s precursor, The Art of Drowning, or their closing song, which had the Palladium screaming with joy, “Totalimmortal” off the All Hallow’s Eve EP. I would like to join my underground brethren in demanding only the most punk and hardcore output of this legendary band, however, I can’t. After seeing AFI’s Hollywood Palladium stop on their Bodies tour last week, I think their show is perfectly astounding as is. There is no going backward for AFI. They realize this and instead of sinking back into their roots, they choose to raise up the bands in the same position they once were. Whether in the worlds of hardcore or post punk, those who’ve been around LA know Davey Havok frequents our underground scenes with a sage’s watchful eye. He takes many young bands under his wing to mentor or tour with. That’s why, whether we’re talking about the punk, hardcore,

Eating Yourself to Live: Cannibal Corpse at the Belasco

Rob Shepyer March 26, 2022

Cannibal Corpse‘s return to Los Angeles at the Belsasco wasn’t just a showcase of one of the most brutal and punishing death metal bands of all time, this was a breakthrough tour where the band created a much larger impact than most people realize. This tour came at the heels of a heated debate about the journey the death metal has gone since its origins in Florida to its current state and sound. Cannibal Corpse was at the center of this debate as former singer Chris Barnes butted horns with current singer Corpsegrinder in a battle for which era reigns over all. The lineup for this tour featured Deathcore label mates Whitechapel and Revocation, bridging two scenes that are worlds apart even though they sound incredibly similar to the untrained ear. In many ways, this was a tour that gave deathcore fans an education in true metal, so even though Whitechapel and Revocation aren’t quite my cup of tea, this tour served a greater purpose I have to approve of. related content: Photo Recap: Decibel Magazine Tour With Cannibal Corpse At The Fonda Prior to this show, I was on the Chris Barnes side of the debate. Listening to The

Category: SHOWS

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