Category: SHOWS

20 Years of Background Music: American Nightmare at the Fonda

Janky Smooth Central Command January 25, 2022

Words and Photos by: Veronika Reinert To kick off 2022, American Nightmare returned to Los Angeles to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their iconic debut record, Background Music. They brought along supporting up-and-comers from both coasts: Chemical Fix (Philadelphia), and Scowl (Santa Cruz). related content: Midnight Massacre: American Nightmare At The Echoplex American Nightmare’s long-anticipated return to Los Angeles was met with major enthusiasm, albeit sparse attendance. COVID rates had skyrocketed, leaving many laid up on the couch at home or wary of being in large, indoor crowds. Those who did make it to the show were respectful of the venue’s mask requirement, and the venue did offer a large outdoor lounge with the entire show projected onto a 20-ft wall. I’d been seeing Scowl’s name on a lot of big bills over the last several months and was excited to finally see them live. I’d have to wait a little longer though, as their start time kept getting pushed back that night. When the band finally took the stage, singer, Kat Moss, sauntered over to the mic fully glamorized in chic sunglasses and mid-length fur-lined coat. She crooned a slow, melodic introductory song to start the night off, then

And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Death Valley Girls at Lodge Room

Danny Baraz December 29, 2021

I discovered … and You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead from their Relative Ways EP less than 30 days after the attacks on the World Trade Center and subsequently their first 2 releases on Interscope Records, in a newly, Post 9/11 world. As hard as the Source Tags and Codes album hit me, it was dwarfed by 2005’s Worlds Apart in how close to my heart a record could be. So when Trail of Dead played “Will You Smile Again?” toward the end of their set at the Lodge Room, I had quite the mixed emotional response of crying and headbanging. On top of all this, Death Valley Girls were opening for Trail of Dead on this tour and their 2020 album, Under the Spell of Joy got me through the dystopian days of a post quarantine, pre vaccine landscape. Death Valley Girls Glow in the Dark at The Echo Record Release Party So here I was, at the Lodge Room, about to intersect past trauma and current disillusioned malaise with the magick that helped me through them both. It also happened to be the first time I was seeing Death Valley Girls with a new battery.

Desert Daze 2021: Music, Magick and Medicine

Danny Baraz December 17, 2021

The road to Desert Daze 2021 was a long and winding way that spanned greater than the material distances of the 10, 60 and 215 highways between Lake Perris and Los Angeles. Everyone’s road was different, from festival organizers, Moonblock and co. and those in attendance. Not everyone’s road was paved with isolation and misery since the last installment of Desert Daze in 2019 but certainly everyone can agree that there has been a paradigm shift in the dynamic of living, or the collective consciousness, or whatever you want to call it, on Planet Earth. related content: Desert Daze 2016- Quantifying the Physics of a Good Time Music, Magick and Medicine beckoned far and wide but intimate attendance (low ticket sales) and a revamped vibe in the typical Desert Daze lineup brought only the most loyal and adventurous of past attendees and in my own conversations in the camp site, many first timers. It shrunk the festival grounds to a one stage operation on the banks of lovely lake Perris, in one of the most beautiful weekends to grace this Fall season in Southern California. Nevertheless, vibrations reverberated like signature sitar tones, like a butterflies wings, causing ripples across space

Creatures of the Night: Substance LA 2021

Rob Shepyer December 15, 2021

Substance has always been Los Angeles’ premiere post-punk festival. Celebrating all things goth and clad in black, the scene wouldn’t be quite the same without it. No festival embodies the true spirit of “LA” more than Substance. There’s something urban and dreamy about the whole episode. You get such a range of feels, some bands appeal to your heart then others purely to the body. Spanning all night, the fest goes late into the evening to make you feel like the real nightcrawler that LA is supposed to make you feel like. I came to see Nitzer Ebb but my greatest takeaways were the smaller bands who’s performances left a mark. Here are my five favorites from each day. Day 1 Pixel Grip Chicago-based industrial dance music is a beast of its own breed. Pixel Grip began the festival for my gang and might’ve left the biggest impression of any band for the entire three nights. They commanded their audience with so much attitude, mystique and power, they could’ve headlined the day purely based on the merits of their charismatic performing. Listening to them on records, many of the songs expanded my idea of what an industrial band ought to

The True Cutting Edge: A2B2 Night of Fire 2 w/Arca and Andy Morin at Catch One

Dillon Vaughn December 11, 2021

Initially founded as a blog by Andy Morin, A2B2 has morphed and grown into an online magnet attracting a vast pool of young outsider artists hungry for representation not found in the “alternative” appeal of contemporary publications like Juxtapoz and Hi-Fructose. With limited print runs satisfying our tactile needs and a healthy online community providing a showcase for all things digital – Night of Fire 2 represents a first step into the physical realm for what I hope will continue to be an annual gathering + celebration of the true cutting edge. As the audio engineer of Death Grips there’s a certain (rabid) fanbase that follows Morin’s work – and anyone that’s ever seen any DG shitposting group knows that these people go absolutely apeshit for Kero Kero Bonito. Well worthy of sharing a bill (and surprisingly a perfect fit) Kero Kero Bonito set a high bar for the night and reminded me how exciting left field booking can be. The general public’s recent fascination with classic J-pop only furthered how stoked everyone in the crowd was to see someone carrying the torch and delivering near punishing positivity and -good vibes-, something the British trio was years ahead of the

Photo Recap: Thundercat at The Shrine

Janky Smooth Central Command December 5, 2021

Photos by: Nicole Roussin Thundercat brought a whole slew of homies out to an epic performance at the Shrine that included Channel Tres, Flying Lotus, Haim, and more to celebrate his newest music in his hometown. The stage setup was magnificent, a giant cat with lasers shooting out its eyes. Thundercat played a long and late set that spanned from his classics, to his new shit, to a lot of improvisational free-form jazz that blew minds and sent everyone at the Shrine on a trip through Thundercat’s multi-dimensional, musical-genius mind. The man’s fingers are each a force of nature, hitting notes on that bass with perfect precision and Godly speed. Check out these pics from the show by Nikki Roussin. Thundercat Flying Lotus Channel Tres

Photo Recap: Beach Fossils and Wild Nothing at The Wiltern

Janky Smooth Central Command December 2, 2021

Photos by: Pedro Carrera Beach Fossils joined their good friends Wild Nothing for one of the best indie/post punk tours of the years with support from The Red Pears. Packing the Wiltern for two nights in a row, the bands named their tour after one of their most popular songs, “Out in the Way” which they would perform together on stage as the show’s climax. We sent the skilled eye of Pedro Carrera to the show to snap all the night’s best moments for you and here they are. Beach Fossils Wild Nothing

Photo Recap: Wavves at The Lodge Room

Janky Smooth Central Command December 1, 2021

Photos by: Taylor Wong Wavves at the Lodge Room is a whole different experience than just any show at the Lodge Room. You get a ticket to see these dudes and you’re bound for a raucous and rowdy punk rock banger where every member is just so loose and stoked that every rendition becomes memorable, somehow walking the line between incredible punk rock and sloppy, drunk shit show. We had Taylor Wong drop in for the show and document this show because there will never be another quite like it. Wavves Harmless Cuffed Up

Photo Recap: Angel Du$t at The Roxy

Janky Smooth Central Command December 1, 2021

Photos by: Taylor Wong Fresh off the heels of their tour with mannequin Pussy, Angel Du$t quickly returned to LA to showcase their new softer side with a slew of hardcore heavyweights on the bill with them. This time, hardcore came to West Hollywood, where all the glitz and glamor got a little filthy and wild for a night. We got the photographic scoop on the night via Taylor Wong so check out his pics and give Angel Du$t a listen while you do. Angel Du$t Militarie Gun Modern Color Wise

Every Time We Party: Every Time I Die at Violent Gentlemen’s 10 Year Anniversary at Garden Amp

Janky Smooth Central Command November 30, 2021

Words by: Wesley Vanhook Photos by: Pedro Carrera There’s something magical about Garden Amp in Garden Grove. There’s just a connection that’s felt no matter the artist and this show was nothing short of an experience. It was the perfect venue to host Violent Gentleman’s 10 year anniversary as one punk rock’s most important clothing brands. Santa Cruz Hardcore outfit Drain have been grinding and making their presence known in the scene. Their fans furthered this point by losing their minds and singing word for word, stage dive after stage dive. Drain is a force to be reckoned with and nothing it seems can slow the rise of this beast of a band. related content: Boston Calling: Sound And Fury 2019 Bay Area hardcore legends Ignite brought their classic sound and gave the crowd an upbeat positive vibe. The band was the final mystery reveal on the lineup. Their music hit hard and loud. Giving the crowd the proper energy boost to prepare for the night’s headliner. Hailing from Buffalo, New York, the kings of auditory chaos: Every. Time. I. Die. From the moments the stage lights dimmed, everyone was poised and ready to receive their offering. Chants of “Every

Take This: Win Two Tickets to X at Teragram Ballroom

Janky Smooth Central Command November 30, 2021

Long before the Teragram stood in Los Angeles, X were the kings and queens of punk rock in southern California, owning the Sunset Strip to Chinatown. And now, these icons are playing the Teragram to cement their everlasting importance and relevance that brings them to the biggest and freshest spots of music’s newest gen. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO X DECEMBER 3RD AT THE TERAGRAM BALLROOM 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 X Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON DECEMBER 2ND AT 1PM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION

One Hundred Trillion Gecs: 100 Gecs at the Shrine

Rob Shepyer November 27, 2021

100 Gecs, the duo of Laura Les and Dylan Brady, are the most polarizing group in all of contemporary music. People either love them or hate them. I rarely hear an indifferent reaction after playing their music for someone. Frankly, that’s the way I like it. A band that can summon immediate love or deep hatred at the same time means they’re a band made for the weirdos that even the normies can grow to appreciate. I personally love the band’s music and don’t care what anyone thinks of me for loving it. After all, since the beginning of 100 Gecs, it’s always been them against the world. related content: Alien Boys And Girls: George Clanton And Magdalena Bay At 1720 I was so incredibly stoked to cover 100 Gecs’ concert at the Shrine and wasn’t one bit surprised they packed the house with what might’ve been the biggest crowd they’ve performed in front of that wasn’t in a festival setting. You can say 100 Gecs is music for nerds because it attracts gamers, dweebs and outsiders but at the same time, there were plenty of jocks and cheerleaders in that audience, raging harder than anyone for the mysterious duo.

Category: SHOWS

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