Category: SHOWS

Photo Recap: Jasiah and $not at the Roxy Theatre

Janky Smooth Central Command March 7, 2020

A few of hip hop’s most talented up and coming rappers came together to turn the Roxy upside down with one of the hottest, sweatiest, most chaotic trap shows you could ever see. Jasiah and $not have collaborated together on a few tracks, so this tour was a match made in heaven because rarely do you see hip hop artists with this much chemistry. This was an especially cool show because of the guests that joined the mc’s on stage including hip hop’s greatest punk patron, Travis Barker, as well as Nascar Aloe, both of which took the vibe over the top. Check out our photos of this insane show. Photos by: Jessica Moncrief $not Jasiah

California Takeover Part Deux: Earth Crisis, Strife, and Snapcase Tear Down Teragram

Rob Shepyer March 3, 2020

90’s hardcore was a period of peaks and valleys. You had legendary bands that changed with the times but also had a few bands like Earth Crisis, that changed the face of hardcore entirely. The original California Takeover featured Earth Crisis, Strife and Snapcase and in its second installment, decades later, the same bands came together again to get a totally evolved scene slam their hardcore hearts out. related content: The Hardest So-Cal Has To Offer, Strife Plays “In This Defiance” At The Roxy The night began with Hesitation Wounds, a hardcore outlet for Touche Amore singer, Jeremy Bolm, who uses this band to scream and howl with more aggression than we’re used to seeing from him. There’s no room for sensitivity here, Hesitation Wounds does not hesitate to destroy whatever is in their sights. The turnout was good and the set was great this early in the afternoon, so we were all assured this show would only get more insane as the doomsday clocked ticked down to Earth Crisis. One of Triple B’s best bands, Magnitude, were next and of all the bands off this label that I’ve seen in my days going to hardcore shows and frequenting Sound and

Photo Recap: Nascar Aloe at the Lodge Room

Janky Smooth Central Command March 1, 2020

For those of the older ilk of hip hop fan who think that this new generation of trap and Soundcloud artists are too wild and too loud, we do not recommend Nascar Aloe to ya’ll. This kid brings wild to a whole new level, infusing trap shows with raw punk energy the likes of which you’d compare to Iggy Pop or even GG Allin. This is what old heads were afraid of. Bleeding for music isn’t just punk anymore, it’s fucking hip hop. We got pics of Nascar Aloe’s Lodge Room show with Kidsnextdoor up. Hope you enjoy and hope to see more trap shows at the Lodge Room. Photos by: Rodney Campos Nascar Aloe Kidsnextdoor

Punx Undead: Phantoms Book Launch: The Rise of L.A. Deathrock Presented by Lethal Amounts

Rob Shepyer February 26, 2020

Los Angeles has always had an obsession with death. Our city’s celebrities and socialites have a habit of perishing in the most dramatic and mysterious fashion, Rozz Williams of course being no exception. It’s no surprise that from out of punk rock would come a death obsessed, black clad, sorrowful, mournful form of expression and rebellion known as deathrock. To celebrate the launch of Mikey Bean’s new 600 page encyclopedia of deathrock called Phantoms: The Rise of Deathrock From The LA Punk Scene, Lethal Amounts and Release the Bats held a photo exhibit and concert celebrating the genre’s Los Angeles heyday. You need this bad boy on your coffee table. related content: Sex Cells’ Divine Ball At El Rey: The Filthiest People Alive Among the attendants at the gallery showing and concert were the likes of 45 Grave singer Dinah Cancer, LA experimental artist Ron Athey, Don Bolles, and many more. With walls adorned with Rozz’s likeness as well as all the show flyers of the scene, the gallery captured a mood, a time, and a place that were quintessentially gothic, dark, and exploding with creativity. Following the book signing, the gathering moved to Monty Bar where numerous bands took

A Formula for Lots of Green: One Love Cali Reggae Fest

Dave Unbuckled February 24, 2020

Now in its fifth year, with a nearly solidified lineup, One Love Cali Reggae Fest has simply mastered the formula for a successful reggae festival that continues to grow, despite a lineup that stays almost identical. One could ask, “Why mess with a winning formula?”, but I went into the festival confused on how this continues to work. Nearly all the domestic bands performing at the festival make routine trips to Southern California throughout the year, and nearly every attendant we spoke to was returning from the previous year or years. I was told the festival grows a little bit annually both in crowd, as well as adding new food vendors, including my personal favorites, After’s Ice Cream and Slater’s 50 /50, as well as a few artists each day. The rare blend of hip-hop on Friday, with returning performer Atmosphere, seemed a highlight, in addition to Sublime With Rome and the evening’s headliners, The Dirty Heads. This will likely be the last show Sublime doesn’t headline in Long Beach, as they still have managed to retain, as well as grow in popularity, even if it’s a little more noticeable in Long Beach, than other neighborhoods. related content: Smokin’ In

Keys to the Soul: Joep Beving at the Lodge Room Highland Park

Rob Shepyer February 21, 2020

Here’s a bit of advice, whenever the Lodge Room puts on an intimate show with seating instead of standing room, buy a ticket no matter who’s playing is because satisfaction is guaranteed. I could tell Joep Beving would put on a transformative show just by seeing his face on a Lodge Room poster. It’s rare I get to see compositions for the piano live, let alone get to review the shows and in this case, from start to finish, the music was beautiful, mournful, even celestial. A good compliment to the sacred feeling of the room. There was something blissful about every note and hallowed about every pause. After a solo performance, Joep brought on Acme Music, a group of four musicians one strings and brass to play with him and together they manifested some of the most powerful and emotional music I’ve ever heard, with swelling peaks and painful lows that brought tears to many eyes in the Lodge Room. Once Acme music was finished, Joep played two more songs for us, one of which was dedicated to his friend Stephen, who died in a freak accident at SXSW a few years ago and the evening’s closing number which

Self Improvement Shoegaze: Chastity Belt at the Constellation Room

Jonathan Reyes February 20, 2020

If you start feeling like you’re vibrating a little higher or showing yourself a little more compassion after listening to Chastity Belt, the spell worked and you’re going to be fine. There’s a weight to the words that come from Julia Shapiro’s mouth. That’s not to put the weight of my mental health on lyrics in a song but you listen to Different Now there’s a call for self-care and patience with the problems of your life. There are these subtle complexities weaved into the fabric of The Process to pair lyrics about lying to your therapist and heavy riffs. It’s like if Fleetwood could have listened then maybe things would be been a lot easier on the tour bus. related content: Silver Lake Perris: Desert Daze 2019 Did I mention the finger-tapping solo’s? Call Yngwie Malmsteen and let him know there’s a new sheriff in town. I always liked a finger tap, it’s one of those ones where if you screw up once your band probably doesn’t want you trying again embarrassing them like I thought you said you could shred? related content: Who Is Orville Peck? Pink Sunsets Over The OC Observatory Total Heat, freak jazz beats. If

Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow: Funk the Influence at the Lodge Room Highland Park

Janky Smooth Central Command February 13, 2020

Words by: William McBee Photos by: Jessica Moncrief Last Saturday began like most weekends do, sleeping in, laying awake, starting the day off slow. I was thinking of how to organize my day and did some mindless scrolling on social media when I came across the flyer for “Funk The Influence” with guest speakers George Clinton and Flea. I asked myself “How could I not go to a symposium featuring the Godfather of Funk and one the greatest bass players of all time?” I pulled the trigger and rushed down to Highland Park to see what all the hype was about. related content: Long Live The Funk: George Clinton And Parliament Funkadelic At The Observatory When I arrived at The Lodge Room, Gorangatang was performing. The duo consisted of a rapper and a didgeridoo player. I enjoyed every second of their deep grooving funky jam. It was my first experience witnessing a didgeridoo and I instantly loved it. The set was followed by a branding panel that included Hairstylist Maisha Oliver, Designer Melody Ehsani and DJ/producer Clinton Sparks. While I was hoping for more music, the conversation between the panelists kept me engaged and intrigued. Clinton Sparks spoke to the audience

Down the Rabbit Hole: Bad Rabbits at the Echo

Rob Shepyer February 9, 2020

I’m gonna go out on a limb and state very matter-of-factly that Boston’s power funk band, Bad Rabbits, are the best concert you could ever see in a club. This opinion isn’t based on the high that I’m still running on since their Echo performance for the 10 year anniversary of “Stick Up Kids”, my favorite of their albums, it’s based on simple addition. Their style, energy, songs, vibe, feel, audience, looseness, tightness, synergy, chemistry, the artists they booked as support, the venue they chose, everything added up to make this show incredible. They sounded so good, in a way that tickled your nerve endings to dance and vibe along, because this music was undisputedly cool. Bad Rabbits’ recorded material has so much swagger and substance and live it translated to a crisp, clean sonic experience that down right SLAPPED. The live versions of these songs were not far departures from the records but in the best way, it still felt spontaneous and present, with the freshest vocals and riffs. Bad Rabbits chose the supporting acts to represent the different sides of their own music. The night began with Chicago singer Nikki Hayes injecting the evening with some R&B. Nikki’s

Photo Recap: Kingdom Come at the Whisky-a-Go-Go

Janky Smooth Central Command February 7, 2020

It’s been over 30 years since the Monsters of Rock but every band has stayed alive since that epic Los Angeles festival. Of all the bands, perhaps the one that holds a soft spot in my heart is Kingdom Come. A metal band with transcendent power and soul. When they announced a reunion for their 30th anniversary, I made it to the Whisky to see the incredible band showcase their talents to a packed house. The people did not forget. A year later and the band is still going strong. They returned to the Whisky for a stop on a three show tour and every member of the band shined. The Kottak attack ala James Kottak was savage, Keith St. John wields one of the most powerful voices in rock and roll, Danny Stag’s lead guitar-work was Godly, Rick Steier’s rhythm guitars brought the house to their knees, and Johnny B. Frank’s bass was frankly, thunderous. We’ve got pics from the show where you can see the ear candy just oozing out of every pixel. Photos by: Dillon Vaughn related content: Return to the Old School: Kingdom Come At The Whisky

Call to Action: Incendiary at 1720

Rob Shepyer January 23, 2020

I swear, you could slap the name Sound and Fury onto any show flyer and the crowd will be in a state of mind that makes them destroy everything in sight. I guess you could call it Sound and Fury culture, the way these kids slam and stage dive harder than any other scene or genre of music in Los Angeles. related content: Boston Calling: Sound And Fury 2019 Incendiary‘s set at Sound and Fury 2019 was one of the more insane but honestly, I felt something was lacking in the sound mix, at least from where I was standing. A few years before that in 2016, the band played both the main festival and Five Star Bar for an after show. Those shows were insane but it was this 2020 performance at 1720 warehouse that was their best show in Los Angeles since they’ve been playing here. This night featured six bands altogether and the first one to go on was the most insane and that was Gulch from San Jose. Made up of members of Drain, this band represents the kind of hardcore that the real gnarly street mother fuckers make, the kind the jock hardcore kids are

The Mother Dome Connection: Funk Legends at Wisdome.LA

Rob Shepyer January 22, 2020

As hard as people try to make sure the funk never dies, it is often hard to find in Los Angeles. Yet, one evening under Wisdome.LA‘s “Mother Dome” brought together numerous legends of the genre to jam and pay tribute to Funk history. No other form of music brings people together quite like funk does, you can’t reason why we all shouldn’t get along if you’re too busy gettin’ down. related content: Long Live The Funk: George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic At The Observatory I remember when the property that the multiple Wisdome’s sit on was nothing more than a few warehouses you might pass by on the way to The Resident. It’s amazing how they utilized the space for an immersive experience with so many different things to do on the premises from admiring art, tripping out to dome visuals, listening to live music, watching sporting events, food and drink, and plenty of psychedelic and new age things to buy or gaze at for burners, trippers, Desert Daze or Lightning in a Bottle kids. The potential for this venue is limitless, once they start booking major psych acts like King Gizzard or Mac DeMarco, they will really have something

Category: SHOWS

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