Category: SHOWS

Silver Lake Perris: Desert Daze 2019

Rob Shepyer October 25, 2019

“Do you think Silver Lake is a ghost town right now?” I heard someone ask during my three day camping trip at Desert Daze. The thought made me laugh, I’m sure they meant it mockingly, as this festival is LA’s annual scenester oasis, still though, upon really thinking about it, even though I don’t consider myself a part of Los Angeles’ elite hipster psych and garage rock circle, I am an admirer. Those are the people that make East Los Angeles such a beautiful destination to bar hop and hear live music. And who knows what came first, the people or the music. If you really ask yourself that question, you’ll have to reflect on the importance of Moon Block and how they nurtured, fostered, and straight up created a scene, a sound, a fashion, a mode of thinking, and a state of being that is positively Los Angeles. related content: Janky Smooth Sessions – Deap Valley & Moon Block Family Part 1 Desert Daze celebrates musical diversity but emphasizes psych rock both sonically and visually. Bands that aren’t psych can slide right into the mold with a little bit of liquid light and satisfy the needs of any tripper thirsty

I Love You, Laura Jane Grace: Against Me! at the Fonda

Jessica Moncrief October 24, 2019

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

Photo Recap: The Happiness of Pursuit Fest

Janky Smooth Central Command October 22, 2019

Photos by: Rodney Campos True hip hop was given center stage at The Happiness of Pursuit Fest which catered to the tastes of both true hip hop heads and to those seeking enlightenment through bars. None of the artists present were Billboard darlings or ever really mainstream but all were beloved in the eyes of those who understand the true art form of hip hop as a means of speaking truth to power purely through lyrics and a dope beat. Whether it be Murs, R.A. The Rugged Man, Crooked I or Slaughterhouse, or Havoc of the legendary Mobb Deep, all these artists made a mark on the underground. Murs R.A. The Rugged Man Havoc Crooked I Curtiss King Self Provoked

Different Shades of Black and Blue: Knocked Loose at 1720

Rob Shepyer October 21, 2019

Of all the hardcore bands in this culture, there’s always been something special about Knocked Loose. It could be to the credit of their unhinged riffs, or it could be Bryan Garris’ vocals that capture youthful anger and dissidence, it could be the fact that this band was born and bred from the scene and has stayed true to it throughout their meteoric success which has granted them festival slots at everything from Danny Winmer Presents to Vans Warped tour, it’s probably a culmination of all these different elements that come to a head when you see them live and realize no one shreds quite as hard as these boys from Kentucky. The band’s latest album “A Different Shade of Blue” carries with it one of the baddest tours you could see if you’re a hardcore kid, featuring the likes of Stick to Your Guns, Candy, and Rotting Out when they landed at Los Angeles’ 1720, which for a show like this was sure to magnify the rawness of the music with the rawness of the setting. Right from the get go, as I arrived to see Candy throw their beatdown into the gauntlet for hardest band of the night,

Tripping at the Troubadour: Hilton Honors Presents: Portugal. The Man

Maggie St. Thomas October 17, 2019

Words and Photos by: Maggie St. Thomas Grammy award-winning artists Portugal. The Man played an exclusive event for Hilton Honors members in Beverly Hills on Friday night at The infamous Troubadour, their last LA show this year. Upon arrival, I was greeted to a line of fans waiting outside, once credentials were approved I was handed a Hilton Honors lanyard. Doors were open to guests at 8 PM where complimentary food services such as macaroni and cheese, spicy tuna tacos and mini cheeseburger sliders could be enjoyed with open bar. related content: Finally Admitting It’s Real: Portugal. The Man At The Shrine At 9 pm Portugal. The Man came out swinging with full intense energy to a much anticipated packed audience. Their introduction included a clip of Beavis and Butthead on the background screen while they began their set with “Damage,” and then went into Pink Floyd’s “Brink In The Wall” and then the song morphed into “Pink Yellow Red Blue.” Another song that captured immense live energy was “Live In The Moment.” Portugal. The Man included a consistent flow of sound and energy matching a joyful aura with a more sophisticated rock demeanor, and with a colorful laser light show.

30 Years of Skid Row: Sebastian Bach at Ramona Mainstage

Rob Shepyer October 16, 2019

There is only one true singer of Skid Row and his name is Sebastian Bach. Baz, a name he is commonly called by friends in the metal community, is celebrating 30 years of Skid Row’s monumental debut self-titled album. In 1989, this album sold over 50 million copies, a sum that is unheard of in 2019. These guys became certifiable rock stars and icons of the era with this album and as a fan of heavy music from metal, to hardcore, to glam, I am and will always be on Baz’s bandwagon…the Bazwagon if you will…. I tried to see Sebastian Bach for years but every time he booked a show it would either be too far from LA or I had made other plans. With this tour, I made the decision I couldn’t miss seeing him again, even if it meant driving from Los Angeles to Ramona, California, a quiet town tucked in between Orange County and San Diego. All this the night before I was planning to spend three days and nights camping in the desert for Desert Daze but I figured sleep came second to Skid Row and this was the chance to prove my rock fandom. From

OC Rots Slow: Obituary, Abbath, and Midnight at the Observatory

Rob Shepyer October 12, 2019

For the longest time, I was consumed with the debate on who should be considered the best death metal band of all time. The usual suspects always make the list of the death metal big four: Death, Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, and then the last spot seems to fluctuate between a myriad of bands. Taking their current status in the scene in regard, I thought Possessed had surpassed Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel, earning them the top spot. They still sound incredible live and put on wild shows that nearly topple the venue. However, after their sold out show at Orange County’s Observatory, I’m sorry but the top of that list is a spot reserved only for Obituary. You can take the band’s history as a partial reason why, they’ve been “slowly rotting” for 3o years now but for me, it’s all about the sonic power and how they make me feel. Having seen all the competition, nothing compares to Obituary. related content: The Battle Of The Bays: Obituary & Exodus Clash At Teragram Ballroom This was one of most anticipated tours of the year for metalheads, with a stacked lineup that featured Devil Master on first. Having witnessed their

Heavy Metal UFO: Voivod and Revocation at El Rey

Rob Shepyer October 10, 2019

Of all the major players of metal, the bands that inspired entire movements and sub-genres, Voivod seemed to be the one I had yet to see perform. Now, having seen them play El Rey, I can’t believe their heavy metal UFO didn’t come across my radar sooner. I always knew them on a surface level, their cover of Pink Floyd’s “Astronomy Domine”, their music videos on Jamey Jasta’s Headbanger’s Ball, and as the band Jason Newsted went to after Metallica. Having learned more about their style of songwriting, their early performances where Snake wore a gas mask, and the incredible virtuosic and outside the box instrumentation of their late guitarist, Piggy; I now think this is one of the most important and essential metal bands of all time. related content: For Every Season Turn, Turn, Turn: Turnover And Turnstile At El Rey The albums Killing Technology and Nothing Face changed progressive and thrash metal, all while sounding like a nuclear war. They made noise simultaneously melodic and metallic and made nonsensical arrangements intriguing. What could be considered odd about this show was that the metal legends weren’t headlining. This bill was vehicle for Revocation’s The Outer Ones album. Revocation and Psycroptic,

Hardcore Hypebeasts at Hell Rey: Scarlxrd at El Rey

Dillon Vaughn September 21, 2019

As a fan of mixed bills I’ve found myself admiring the output of SCARLXRD, the British youtuber-turned-musician creating an ultra refreshing blend of the soundcloud ethos and hyper aggressive vocals expanding upon the intensity of everything between hardcore and nu-metal. Unfortunately, I missed his initial sold out appearance at The Roxy a few months back but was delighted to be notified of a return to LA at The El Rey. Presented by Goldenvoice, the night far surpassed my expectations moments after Scarlxrd and his infectious hype man took the stage and drove the audience wild. This isn’t anything like the rap-metal of the past critics are so quick to compare it to. There’s a fresh spark in the presentation of everything that perfectly embodies the current state of independent music: the openness and flexibility when blending genres and tones to create catchy yet aggressive tracks that appeal to hardcore kids and hypebeasts alike. related content: Anarchy’s Monarch: Scarlxrd At The Roxy With so much material released in such little time (seven albums in three years with an eighth scheduled to be released in two weeks) it’s amazing to see how equally received every corner of his catalogue is. Even

Full Moon on a Friday the 13th: Cold Waves L.A. Showcase at the Regent

Rob Shepyer September 20, 2019

I make it a point to never miss a Cold Waves event whenever they rear their heads in Los Angeles. I only wish you all did the same. You do realize this is the country’s premiere industrial music festival, don’t you? Taking place in the heart of that genre’s American upbringing… you get that right? For some reason, I feel Cold Waves never get their due in Los Angeles. Maybe industrial isn’t as popular as metal or punk around these parts but come on, if you’re into fast, loud, heavy music and don’t give the genre a try, then you’re just closed-minded. related content: Cold Waves LA: Heaven For Industrial Kids Anyway, with their Los Angeles showcase taking the place of their three-day festival, Cold Waves brought an all-star lineup of deliciously insane acts to The Regent including the likes of avant-garde legends Test Dept from the UK and Severed Heads from Australia. With the showcase falling on the evening of a full moon and a fateful Friday the 13th, their was much anticipation for what sort of soul-altering experience The Regent was in for. None of us could’ve guessed though, just how revelatory Test Dept were going to be,

Set the Animals Free: Wolfbrigade and Dropdead at 1720

Rob Shepyer September 20, 2019

There have been a couple shows this year I was patiently waiting months and months for. The anticipation for Wolfbrigade’s one-off return to Southern California was high and it expressed itself in an immensely rowdy crowd. This was only enhanced by the addition of power violence legends Dropdead, who flew in from Rhode Island, just to unleash their new music onto 1720. These were real punk rockers in attendance. Power violence brethren, crust punk cavalcades, grindcore sadists, all were there and cleaned the local liquor mart of all their tall cans. Even before the show, the line itself was a spectacle, with many a drunken bruiser having to be kicked to the curb. I arrived to see Final Conflict and with a broken string giving the band a certain unhinged and angry attitude, one could already tell this was going to be an especially brutal evening. As Church of the 8th Day‘s go to punk opener for shows like these, one might think they’ve seen the band enough times to know what to expect but this set was different, they were more on-edge and you could feel it in the music. You can teach an old dog new tricks, or you

At a Loss for Words: Explosions in the Sky at the Hollywood Palladium

Audrey Kemp September 17, 2019

Sometimes the songs that speak to us the most are devoid of words at all. In a time where we are incessantly bombarded with others’ words, instrumentation, with its ever-changing intensity, velocity, texture, and tone, has the potential to be far more evocative and emotive. The chamber music of Explosions in the Sky that imbued the Hollywood Palladium’s walls on September 12 epitomized this idea. related content: Dais Party: Drab Majesty’s Modern Mirror Record Release At The Fonda Starting on September 11, the Austin-based quartet Explosions in the Sky (E.I.T.S.) launched an anniversary world tour to celebrate 20 years since their inception. To further commemorate this milestone, they also reissued their debut album, How Strange, Innocence — the album that arguably put E.I.T.S. on the map as the poster boys of post-rock— just a month prior, as a rare anniversary edition on Temporary Residence Ltd. Apart from it being remastered and on icy blue vinyl, it’s the first time the album has been available on vinyl period since 2004. related content: Under From Down Thunder: King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard at the Greek Theatre Accompanying them on their tour is Sessa, a São Paolo musician who is single-handedly putting a psychedelic twist on Brazilian jazz. On Thursday

Category: SHOWS

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