Category: SHOWS

Food for the Soul: Music Tastes Good 2018

Aria Silva-Espinosa October 8, 2018

Long Beach has yet to disappoint. Whether it’s a tiny DIY show space with a local artist lineup like Midnight Mass or an R&B soul fest on the water’s edge like Smokin’ Grooves, shows in the LBC draw loads of live music fans at every possible opportunity. Blessed with a diverse demographic, Long Beach festival organizers get to take huge liberties when it comes to booking bands and artists that represent every quadrant of the musical matrix. Music Tastes Good was no exception. They brought new emerging artists, quintessential bands and even artists we didn’t know we were missing into one big block party-style show. related content: Black Is Beautiful: Smokin’ Grooves Festival At The Queen Mary We started out day one with Quintron & Miss Pussycat, husband-and-wife duo from New Orleans. Their performance is half something from a children’s television program and half sing-song drinking ballads. To the untrained eye, their performances are something of a spectacle but there certainly is something uniquely charming about their authenticity. Quintron & Miss Pussycat concluded their set with their cover of Polka Stars “In Heaven There Is No Beer” as the revolving stage gave way to the next act. On the complete

Cold Waves LA: Heaven For Industrial Kids

Rob Shepyer October 8, 2018

Photos by: Abraham Preciado In the 1980’s, Chicago was the epicenter of North America’s Industrial music explosion with Wax Trax records birthing some of the genre’s most iconic bands, namely Ministry. Chicago’s importance in the history of Industrial music cannot be overstated. That’s why when Cold Waves, the country’s premiere Industrial festival, announced it was bringing it’s cavalcade of musicians to Los Angeles, it was a big deal for the genre and our city. I still regret missing the first Cold Waves LA last year and so, made sure to attend this year’s. 1720 might seem like a hidden gem because of the surrounding debris and chaos of the area it resides in but after spending my weekend there, I can say it’s one of the better venues in Los Angeles. This is the case for a few reasons, the sound quality and stage being at the top of that list but also its comfortable, well air conditioned atmosphere and it’s smoking area, where bands and audience become one. Day 1 The festival began with a DJ set by legendary artist Rhys Fulber of Front Line Assembly. His set was moody and brooding, the sounds of circuity unnerving due to

Heavy Metal Parking Lot 2: Judas Priest and Deep Purple at FivePoint Amphitheatre

Dillon Vaughn October 5, 2018

Words and Photos by: Dillon Vaughn Judas Priest and Deep Purple: with a lineup including two legendary bands like this it’s nearly impossible to find a reason not to do whatever it takes to get to the show. Unique opportunities granted by commuting through a massive city for a gig like this are things I feel my parents dreamed of when they were living in a small town at my age. The drive from LA to Irvine during a weekday rush hour is awful but the anticipation for what’s truly an event multiplies each time you pass another car of people obviously making the trek for the same reason. Seeing other groups of unfamiliar familiar faces grin with shared excitement lends a sense of comfort not unlike the feeling of coming home: the euphoria of warm of acceptance and freedom to enjoy yourself for who you really are. related content: The Olive Branch Extends To Irvine: The Scorpions At Five Point Amphitheatre Firepower is somewhat of a return to form for Priest but the live show leaves the impression they never strayed from what they’ve always been. Despite unfortunate lineup changes in recent years the band has never made compromises in

Different Shades of Black: Adult. and Plack Blague at Soda Bar

Janky Smooth Central Command October 4, 2018

Words and Photos by: Rebecca DiGiglio What’s this? A San Diego show being covered by Janky Smooth, you say? No. It couldn’t be.But it is. The reaches of this esteemed publication are expanding— manifest destiny and shit. Allow me to be your photographic and lexical liaison, starting first with an electronic show featuring the impossibly-cool-looking-in-a-European-way ADULT., leather daddy duo Plack Blague, and the fog-drenched, one-man San Diego act, O/X. Opening act O/X started the night with trigger finger on the fog machine and a trance-like demeanor: all dreamy swaying and eyes-shut synth stroking. O/X is the solo project of Chris Oxendine, and the music is self-described as cold wave. Oxendine seemed to intentionally lull the crowd into a false sense of calm for the more beat-heavy, dance-centered night to come, eventually growing a little more rapid towards the end of the set, as if to briefly warn of sounds to come. The show was a release party for his latest cassette, “NEW LIFE”, released through record label Dream. Shortly after, the night turned naughty with the shock to the system that was Plack Blague: two leather-clad daddies bringing heavy, industrial beats and vocals that vacillate between sensual and aggressive singing.

The Final Final ACxDC Reunion at Resident

Rob Shepyer October 4, 2018

Antichrist Demoncore. ACxDC. Were one of the craziest power violence bands of all time. Few missed shows bug me as much as missing their final show at Union in 2017. I felt terrible for this, like I had betrayed everything I ever stood for. Then when ACxDC announced they were playing a show at The Resident presented by Church of the 8th Day, not only was I ready to go but I was ready to party, buy merch, drink beer, and get hurt. The lineup was stacked from top to bottom. Two beer bands, a reunion, and a straight edge hardcore band all the way from Amsterdam all brought together on a Monday. Work the next morning didn’t stop the die hards though. They were ready to get their excuse not to come in the next day get planted right across their faces. Skullcrack cracked open this can of whoop ass of a night with no remorse and a thirst for blood. One of the heaviest, most brutal, and rhythmic crossover bands I have ever seen. Their singer’s voice rips and their guitarist is a goddamn hardcore-thrash titan in the making, playing with Fireburn when he’s not with these three young

I was Straight Edge for a Night: Slapshot at Toxic Toast Theatre

Jonathan Reyes October 3, 2018

Hardcore shows are weird when you can’t drink. It’s like everyone’s a designated driver, people actually have money for merch, and you can see the spinning heel kicks coming. The benefits of remembering every detail of the night is that you can vividly appreciate what you’re seeing. In this case it was Slapshot at Toxic Toast Theatre in Long Beach. I went in with a lot of ideas about the band. Why do hardcore bands have more former members than The Dead? How white can a person be? I’ve never seen so much Boston represented in a band. I had to double check that it wasn’t Whitey Bulger screaming into the microphone. I also thought this is what Dropkick Murphys sound like if they weren’t awful. Jack Kelly is so pure hardcore or “haadcorr” as he pronounces it, he doesn’t want to be a role model he just wants to be, he wants to be in his band lighting up the territories. Slapshot, a band fronted by a straight edge singer in a venue that doesn’t serve alcohol feels like Superman on the sun. It’s just pure hardcore music, nothing against any hardcore shows that have alcohol but when it’s just you

Who’s The Better Brother? Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel at Echoplex

Rob Shepyer September 28, 2018

I love Gene Loves Jezebel. I love Jay Aston and I love Michael Aston. So, I will do my best to contribute to this band’s legacy by casting judgement on which twin brother’s band is the better Gene Loves Jezebel. Along with seeing a rare L.A. show by Jay Aston performing their favorite songs, many in attendance came to compare the two Gene Loves. Most likely looking to Michael Aston’s Part Time Punks show from years previous which I attended and enjoyed. Check out my review of that show below: related content: Gene Loves Jezebel Play Immigrant In Entirety At Part Time Punks Gig If you don’t know the band’s history, Michael and Jay Aston are twin brothers that each have their own version of Gene Loves Jezebel. Michael’s is based in the U.S., Jay’s is based in the U.K. Michael was the lead singer and Jay was the guitarist, back-up vocalist, and songwriter. After a tumultuous breakup resulting in a legal battle to see who gets to tour under the name Gene Loves Jezebel, they both play the same banner. It’s an interesting question to ponder. How do you cement ownership of a song? Is it the writer or

F*ck Feelings: Lagwagon Performs “Lets Talk About Feelings” at El Rey

Rob Shepyer September 27, 2018

Are we, as a society, officially retiring the adage “sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me”? For a minute there, I thought this was the case but after seeing Lagwagon‘s degenerate onstage horseplay shit on the importance we put on feelings, now I can officially say, we as a society still think feelings are bull shit. Also bullshit: Joey Cape, lead singer of Lagwagon. Ask him yourself, he put it on a T shirt and the damn thing sold out. Fat Wreck Chords is still flying the punk flag proudly. That doesn’t necessarily require being ass holes but it doesn’t hurt, especially when it’s toward your bandmates, not the audience. In all seriousness though, Lagwagon and all its members fucking killed that stage. Lets Talk About Feelings was released twenty years ago on the same night as this show at El Rey. Even back then, Lagwagon’s music was teaching people to be worse human beings, whether they were kids playing Tony Hawk Pro Skater or adults skating in real life. related content: Me First & The Gimme Gimmes Inter-Review At The Fonda Theater A Vulture Wake began the night with one of the tightest,

CHVRCHES Give the Greek a Religious Experience

Aria Silva-Espinosa September 27, 2018

Sunday night’s show at The Greek Theater brought a massive slew of concert-goer traffic to the thin winding roads at the base of Griffith Park, overlooked by the throngs of tourists lining the observation deck of the Observatory. Back in the day, you were permitted to abandon your automobile on the precipice of the canyon overlooking the city of Los Angeles, now you have to pay gratuitously for parking in less perilous locations designated by L.A. Parks & Rec. The Greek is an imposing white amphitheatre-style building, an open-air venue that backs up to the darkened cliffside. This makes for a long walk through sports arena-style seating to find your seat with the assistance of an usher or if you’re like me and too proud to ask for direction, your cell phone flashlight. related content: Hot Chip Make Machines Come To Life At The Greek Fittingly, there was an almost full moon hanging in the sky on Sunday night. Lo Moon, the opening act from Los Angeles, delivered a fittingly lovelorn performance early in the evening. Lo Moon is a relatively new formed indie rock trio. Lead vocalist and guitarist Matt Lowell played the song “Loveless“, which he had been

Make American Green Again: The Great American Smoke Out

Janky Smooth Central Command September 25, 2018

Words and Photos by: Maggie St. Thomas Master rap artist Snoop Dogg celebrated 25 years of Doggystyle, his debut album on Death Row Records. Produced in 1993 by Dr. Dre with cover artwork by Mr. Joe Cool, Doggystyle sold almost a million copies within its first week of being released. While taking the sold-out arena back to the days of old school hip hop using the microphone as a time machine with heavy weights Cypress Hill, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and adding a heavy dose of hazy funky infusion with Slightly Stoopid and reggae legend Don Carlos. Though the words on the flier read that Wu Tang Clan, Berner, and Warren G were scheduled to perform, so were the words ‘line-up subject to change.’ It didn’t seem to matter as the legends murdered the stage, and if you were a participant in that hot-boxed arena at The Great American Smokeout you got more than your money’s worth. Musical Youth, Afroman, Kottonmouth Kings and DJ Quik were also featured performers of the night, but let’s concentrate on the headliners. related content: The Queens Converge At Outside Lands 2018 Cypress Hill opened with “Band of Gypsies” taking our minds to strange and welcome places. B-Real took the stage mixing his helium style rap lyrics with Sen Dog’s rhymes performing their anthems like “How I

Nirvana Leads to Nothing… at the Regent

Rob Shepyer September 25, 2018

90’s alternative music is having an organic and overlooked revival that is making for some of the best rock and roll of this decade. Whether it be the post-grunge sounds of Culture Abuse or the hardcore infused shoegaze of Nothing, you should get into these bands before you miss the boat. related content: NOTHING Unhinge Echoplex Audience By Bending Sonic Waves Having just released an album and made the cover of Revolver magazine, Nothing is riding a wave at the moment with a cult-like following of hardcore kids that fell in love with gaze. This new album, “Dance on the Black Top” is for my money, the band’s best. You’d think that would make this Part Time Punks show at The Regent something magical to me but such wasn’t exactly the case. Nothing isn’t a bad live band, they’re just hit or miss. Hit or miss because something is missing. What great live music does, which is suspend your thinking mind and connect everyone by making them forget themselves, Nothing achieves this phenomenon better on record than in performance. It’s a big deal when Part Time Punks moves from the Echo or Echoplex to the Regent and opening up the

Riot Fest 2018: The Riot Still Rages

Janky Smooth Central Command September 22, 2018

Words and Photos by: Meghan Breedlove This past weekend in Chicago, Riot Fest 2018 wrapped up their 13th year and Janky Smooth was there to capture some of the scenes from the weekend. Even though Riot Fest shared some devastating news regarding Blink 182’s cancellation (due to health issues) a few short days before the festival, Riot Fest was able to recover quickly by booking Weezer, Taking Back Sunday, and Run the Jewels. related content: How Riot Fest Chicago 2016 Survived The Misfits Subpar Performance Even with Blink 182’s absence, there was no shortage of their songs, with multiple Blink 182 covers sung over the weekend to honor the band, with both Weezer and Young the Giant covering “All the Small Things”. The festival layout was somewhat cozy, with five stages of proximity, a freak show, a variety of carnival rides, and of course pretty much any fried food your heart desired. Overall, Riot Fest 2018 was a major success despite some last minute lineup changes, so here is a recap of my adventure in Chicago this past weekend. related content: Jawbreaker At Riot Fest: The Moment I Stopped Hating Pop Punk Day 1 I first arrived at the festival