Category: SHOWS

Down Home Ho Down: Roots Roadhouse 2019

Rob Shepyer April 2, 2019

Within moments of walking into Roots Roadhouse at the Echoplex and seeing BBQ pits, haystacks, cowboy hats and boots, I realized that this is one of the best festivals in Los Angeles, it’s a hidden gem. If you follow Janky Smooth, you certainly won’t see much country on our blog but for some reason, even though I was moshing at Gorilla Biscuits the night before, this music felt more like home than metal, punk, hardcore, or industrial to me. After listening to a few acts and thinking about why this is, I realized that the soundtrack to being a rocker would have plenty of country in it. The way outlaw country tales about being broke, losing love, chasing love, doing drugs, and getting drunk, relates to me more than other kinds of music. Part of the reason for this lack of country coverage is simply awareness. In Los Angeles, no one knows these artists but across the rest of the country, they all have huge followings, mostly because of relentless touring. With Roots Roadhouse, Los Angeles gets a taste of how the rest of America listens to music, whether it be Nashville, Texas, or Louisiana, the heart of America was

Mr. & Ms. Machine: The Black Queen at the Regent

Rob Shepyer March 31, 2019

If you let yourself be vulnerable, close your eyes and hone in on a sound then take your time to interpret how that sound resonates in your soul and makes you feel, I think you can actually gender the sound. Whether you think gender is a social construction or natural state, there are abstract and physical attributes to maleness and femaleness. There are masculine elements to The Black Queen‘s music, a sort of epic, peaking feel to their hooks that give you the sense of a heroic narrative at play. There are feminine elements as well, a sensuality, vulnerability, and warmth to the music and delivery. Certainly, The Black Queen’s sound is a more feminine departure from Greg Puciato’s last band, the Dillinger Escape Plan but this new electronic three piece still retain some of the qualities that made Dillinger transcend metal. related content: Cold Waves LA: Heaven For Industrial Kids Beginning this diversified bill at the Regent was SRSQ, aka Kennedy Ashlyn, who has already been ingrained as an icon in my mind for how soul-stirring her voice is. The last time I spoke to Kennedy, I told her how spiritual her music made me feel. That’s not exactly

Salute The Troops Festival – A Hip Hop and Comedy Event for America’s Veterans

Janky Smooth Central Command March 29, 2019

Words and Photos by: Maggie St. Thomas Salute the Troops Festival was like a three-day party honoring active military and veterans. Hip-hop and comedy lovers came together at the dual-venue event at both The Glass House and the Fox Theatre in Pomona March 22-24. The weekend was filled with music, laughter, and lots of love acknowledging the service and sacrifice of America’s veterans. Snoop Dogg headlined the weekend’s events on Saturday, and all other artists on Friday and Sunday gave peak performances, whether they were standing before an audience of 40 or 400. This definitely made for Friday and Sunday nights’ vibes being more intimate between the artists and the crowd. Various artists included Cold War Kids, Capital Cities, The Dan Band, and Andre Cymone who plays a key part in contributing to the infamous Minnesota rock’n’roll-funkadelic-soul sound and is the former bass guitarist of Prince’s touring band pre-Revolution. related content: Smokin’ In The Rain: One Love Cali Reggae Fest At The Queen Mary Commanding a band of musicians behind him from center stage (like a pro), including tambourine and female backup vocals, Cymone took his audience on board an intergalactic journey of time and sound. “I was driving up the coast one day and heard Jeff Buckley’s version of Leonard Cohen’s

South Gate Superstars: Cypress Hill at the Wiltern

Janky Smooth Central Command March 29, 2019

Words and Photos by: Abraham Preciado The West Coast High Tour rolled through the largest and one the most spectacular theater in Los Angeles, The Wiltern, last weekend. Headlining the tour were rap icons from South Gate, Cypress Hill. The legends were accompanied on tour by Demrick, Xzibit, and Hollywood Undead. related content: Make America Green Again: The Great American Smoke Out Demrick and Xzibit took the stage first and ignited the crowd with their respective hits. The artist’s also dropped songs from their collaborative project, Serial Killers, which were definite hits with everyone in attendance. It was exciting to see Xzibit live and still be at the top of his game. LA’s rap/rock band Hollywood Undead also brought their “A” game to The Wiltern and performed hits from their entire catalog of music. Hollywood Undead’s set was an adrenaline rush to the crowd. related content: Black Baptism: Prayers At The Fonda In anticipation to Cypress Hill’s set, smoke filled the Wiltern as the crowd prepared for the group’s entry on stage. As soon as the intro to “Band of Gypsies” played the crowd erupted. It was lit! Cypress Hill came ready to blaze with their fans and we were ready!

Surf & Sniff: Amyl & the Sniffers at Soda Bar

Janky Smooth Central Command March 27, 2019

Words and Photos by: Rebecca DiGiglio Richard Rose is a new band lead by vocalist Chris Shaw, who also sings with Ty Segall in GØGGS, as well as Ex Cult. Don’t try looking them up on YouTube for a listen just yet, as you will only find videos from the mystic philosopher of the same name– or, perhaps look it up if you’re interested in hearing some esoteric theorizing which, I can only assume, influenced the band in some important way. Their garage rocky aesthetic layered with saxophone was a solid start to the night; their set felt more fluid and laid back than what was to come, yet still punctuated by heavy moments and high energy. The band has an upcoming four song EP coming out via In the Red Records. related content: GØGGS a-go-go at the Teragram Ballroom While waiting for Amyl & The Sniffers‘ set to start, I’ll admit that I questioned the San Diego audience’s ability to really show up and make the set as wild and raucous as I had heard A&TS live performances typically were. Sometimes I feel like everyone is a bit more laid back here in SD. And for the first few

Gothic Interiors: Cold Cave at the Ace Hotel

Rob Shepyer March 26, 2019

Name something more goth than the Cure, Bauhaus, and Siouxsie combined… shouldn’t be too hard, how about Chartres Cathedral? When goth music and Gothic architecture combine for a concert set under light penetrating through stained glass, it becomes a catharsis similar to that of a good cry. I’ve always been curious about the connection between the aesthetics of Christ worship in the Gothic and sadness in Goth. Have goths been weeping for Christ this whole time or just been looking for someone to hear their prayers, someone who’s there? related content: Your Peace Is Our Peace: David Lynch’s Festival Of Disruption At The Ace Hotel The interior of the theatre at Ace hotel, formerly United Artists theatre, acts as a mirror and conduit to any act on stage, from the purple portal in the ceiling emanating energy to the lobby’s glorious murals which depict scenes too puzzling to be of no biblical significance. The theatre’s stones shifts with the music. Don’t believe me? Pay closer attention, stare long enough and see solids melt before your very eyes! related content: Cloak & Dagger Fest: The Heart Of Los Angeles Bled From Dusk Till Dawn Wesley Eisold of Cold Cave, who recently turned

Saint Patrick’s Day With Flogging Molly at the Hollywood Palladium

Rob Shepyer March 21, 2019

I love Saint Patrick’s Day. There’s no other holiday like it. For a day, booze culture is king and the streets are filled with drunk, pinching masses, green oozing down the streets of Hollywood toward the Palladium which hosts the Saint Paddy’s party of the year every year with Flogging Molly. Of all the Celtic punk bands, Dropkick Murphy’s and the Pogues included, none know how to celebrate like Molly. It’s a party of epic proportion that would make James Joyce proud, the kind of stuff Finnegan’s Wake was made of. related content: It’s Not Dead Fest 2: New Hope For Punks w/Rancid, Dropkick Murphys, Off My tailgate began in the Palladium parking lot watching a line of bagpipers toot that sweet Scottish sound. It may not be Irish, but after a few stouts, shit was close enough. World War 2 veteran Sidney Walton was celebrating his 100th birthday on stage and was praised by the crowd. With the kind of wild cheers that only a few drinks could inspire. Heading to the Guinness tent to make sure I wouldn’t get thirsty, I saw Sidney being treated to a very special birthday brewski as we all sung happy birthday for the guy

Versed in Virtuosity: Jacob Collier at the Fonda

Rob Shepyer March 19, 2019

Jacob Collier is such a bright and shinning talent, any performance of his inspires awe, fun, and connection in people. I saw one clip of him covering “Close to You” by Burt Bacharach and absolutely murdered that bass in jazz style. I missed him on his last tour through Los Angeles when he was still performing solo, bouncing between instruments like drums, piano, double bass, bass guitar, ukulele and vocals. At the age of 25, Jacob is one in a few of the self-made musical geniuses that took it upon themselves to produce their own albums, playing every instrument, and recording it themselves. This is what Jacob did with In My Room in 2015 but now, four albums later, Jacob is back in Los Angeles with a band of three other members and an entirely new show. related content: Shrine To A Goddess: Tash Sultana Sells Out The Shrine Expo Hall In Los Angeles With totems of light standing around the stage, the ambiance would change with the music’s texture as Jacob went from funk to jazz to folk. I was amazed from start to finish and I knew I would be the moment I was allowed to review this show.

Photo Recap: Albert Hamond Jr. at the Fonda

Janky Smooth Central Command March 15, 2019

Albert Hammond Jr. has no problem selling out big venues in Los Angeles. We love the Strokes. We love Albert’s style and swagger. Hot of the heels of his 2018 album Francis Trouble, Albert has kept making music in the same kind of cool that the Strokes were always known for. Opening for Albert Hammond Jr. was In the Valley Below. Pedro Carerra was there to shoot the show and you can look at his pictures and see exactly what makes Albert Hammond Jr. such a compelling singer and guitarist. Photos by: Pedro Carrera Albert Hammond Jr. In The Valley Below

OC did it all for the Nookie: Musink Tattoo Convention & Music Fest 2019

Rob Shepyer March 15, 2019

At the beginning of the year, I foresaw the resurgence of nu metal. Long dismissed and derided as one of the most cringe-worthy, toxic, and talentless genres of all time, it would turn out the place it held in the hearts of elder millennials never faded away as they grew up. Bands like Korn, Slipknot, and Deftones have maintained a place at the top of the mountain as bands that can always draw big crowds but Limp Bizkit still seems like an outsider among them even though back in the day, they were arguably the biggest of those bands. Musink 2019 would blow the flood gates open and give nu metal the retribution people were silently begging for. Limp Bizkit would headline Day 2 and signal to all the haters that the Bizkit is back. That same week, LB announced a surprise show at the Troubadour for only 3 dollars. Those that were in attendance know Limp Bizkit put on what was without question, love them or hate them, a legendary performance. Featuring covers of the Who, Nirvana, and Journey with guests such a Billy Corgan, Marilyn Manson, and Machine Gun Kelly, the show was so raucous one fan even jumped from

Long Live the Thump: Thumpasarus at Teragram

Janky Smooth Central Command March 13, 2019

Photos by: Anthony Mehlhaff Thumpasaurus is a gang of five deftly skilled musical agents on a perpetual quest to stabilize their eclectro-frenetic moods of post apocalyptic new wave. Thumpasaurus offer up their own unique stew wherein, hidden in plain sight and sound, you’ll find traces of Zappa, Beefheart, James Chance, Funkadelic/Parliament, Devo, Morphine, Talking Heads and Prince, as well as some rocking heavy metal, free jazz, musical theatre and even some light opera references thrown in for good measure. The band released The Book Of Thump last summer, and recently shared a video for “Where Does The Love Go”… an opera in five parts. Converging Benjamin Button maturity with Steven Hawking-like musical astro-theories, their oath to indoctrinate the world to the ideologies of the Book of Thump holds no bounds. A band bred out of the present day’s insatiable appetite to consume, they extract scraps from hard to reach corners of the dark web into uplifting nuggets of empowerment and party. There live show at The Teragram was one for the ages including aliens, karate chops and cameos from the like of Jennifer Lawerence, Bradley Cooper and John Travolta. Don’t miss these beings as they attack SXSW with there insane party antics.

Dominant Noise: Daughters at the Regent

Rob Shepyer March 7, 2019

As unhinged, noisy, violent, grotesque, and vulgar the music of Daughters might devolve into, at its heart, the sound and lyrics will always be poetry. Like a lounge band moonlighting at a Roman vomitorium, these Rhode Island killers came dressed in evening attire to impress a pack of wild dogs at the sold out Regent Theater. You could tell this show would be one of the highlights of underground music in Los Angeles in 2019. Audience members were vomiting, moshing until self destruction, and being squeezed up against each other, as rockers the likes of Retox’s Justin Pearson surfed overhead. related content: There Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong With A Little Thrash And Grind: Show Your Scars 2019 At The Regent The entire night was filled with riveting noise from bands that could each draw a good crowd had they been headlining. First to knock their boots about the stage was industrial, fetishists and hardcore performance art duo, Hide. As always, Heather Gabel gave no fucks as her leather chastity bottoms lured in the bastard crowd but then her wolverine bite snapped at them before they could get too close. With white strobe lights turning the stage into a glitching TV eye

Category: SHOWS

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