Tag: featured
Super Saiyan Sasami at the Teragram Ballroom
Rob Shepyer
April 19, 2022
Those who attended Desert Daze’s legendary 2019 installment will never forget Sasami‘s set. It was sweet, tender and psychedelic. Sprinkled with her signature screeches, the band separated themselves into a different league than the rest of the lineup. It was clear to me that Sasami Ashworth was willing to take risks the rest of the LA indie scenesters weren’t dabbling with. That was in a different world though, now, after so much global turmoil, Sasami has evolved into a different artist altogether. Her latest album, Squeeze, has heavy metal, industrial and hardcore moments that are so potent, that instead of being the outlier of the LA indie scene, the scene changes to the music. The Nagas serpent woman that adorns the cover represents Sasami’s anime-esque character arc where a hero or villain needs to show their true form to stand a chance in battle. Slithering, coiling, and constricting with four arms on each side of her serpentine tail, Sasami reminds me of the light version of Naruto’s Orochimaru mixed with a bit of Takashi Miike cinema. related content: Silver Lake Perris: Desert Daze 2019 The concert in question at the Teragram Ballroom was the last stop on Sasami’s tour. This
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How to Wage Class Warfare: D.O.A. at the Roxy
Rob Shepyer
April 17, 2022
“Listen to your elders”, though punk rock is eternally young, the timeless adage applies to this rebel art form. Since D.O.A.‘s groundbreaking 2nd album, Hardcore ’81, the genre they helped create has gone through many evolutions and branching-offs until it doesn’t quite resemble its original sonic or thematic mold. Hardcore doesn’t need to change their sounds, but it wouldn’t hurt to listen to Godfather punk bands like D.O.A. more, not just to be inspired by that original, tested and proven sound, but to relearn what the true ethos and political/existential stance punk is supposed to stand for. related content: Sacred Vibration: Guided By Voices At Teragram The moment D.O.A. broke into “Class War”, off the band’s third album, War on 45, introducing the song by saying “the only war worth fighting is a class war” I knew all bets were off. D.O.A. and bands from their era never failed to mince words, opting to make songs with straight forward messaging, striking metaphor, ruthless aggression and artistic bravery that also get the party and pit going full speed. Hardcore these days is much more interested in brutality. There’s nothing wrong with that but in times like these when we can’t quite
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Dungeon Demon: Hulder at Don Quixote
Rob Shepyer
April 16, 2022
Black metal is like black caviar, a rare and special treat not to be consumed everyday for every meal but on those much needed occasions when you need to feel truly alive. Grizzly, noisy, hazy, and atmospheric are the usual descriptors the mind shuffles through trying to synthesize the experience of listening to this purely underground genre. However, when seeing Hulder live, my mind was more consumed with the thought of power, in awe of how much she was able to harness when performing on stage. It’s not just in her demonic vocals or the way she wields a black guitar, or even a sword for that matter, it’s the entirety of her presence. You sense that this person has integrated the genre so deeply into their core, that they’ve become an actual warrior. As if there’s some kind of medieval mitochondria the black metal injected into her cells to give her the fortitude to be Hulder. related content: Satyricon’s Final Los Angeles Show At The Regent: A Night Too Blackened To Forget Women in black metal isn’t common. It’s not unheard of but it’s certainly not the reason Hulder is special. Hulder is special because she commands an audience,
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Take This: Win Two Tickets to Drug Church at the Lodge Room
Janky Smooth Central Command
April 14, 2022
Hardcore meets alternative meets pop punk meets boy meets girl meets Lodge Room and everybody falls in love as Drug Church returns to LA with an axe to grind on a mission from God. We’re giving away two tickets to the show. Here’s what you gotta do…. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO DRUG CHURCH APRIL 16TH AT THE LODGE ROOM 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 DRUG CHURCH Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON APRIL 15TH AT 1PM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION
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Hardcore Disco: HEALTH at 1720
Danny Ryan
April 13, 2022
Words by: Danny Ryan Photos by: Manuel Arredondo Health’s record release show at 1720 Warehouse was an excellent demonstration of their ability to incorporate the widest-array of contrasting sounds and emotions into their artistic vision. Their dedication to breaking ground in the incorporation of these genres was on full display, from the diversity of the crowd to the band’s ambitious blend of industrial, noise, goth, synth, metal, hardcore punk and shoegaze influences blasting throughout the venue. With their new album “Disco4: Pt. 2” comprising of different guest features on every track, Health proves that their signature style can collaborate with any artist without straying away from sounding like themselves. This show was an ideal celebration for the release of this new album. Even with most of the set being comprised of their solo works, Health is presenting their fusion of these genres in a powerful manner. Health always distinctively sounds like Health, no matter which artists they are featuring or taking influence from. From an outsider’s perspective, it would have been very difficult to discern which genre of music they would be seeing that night. Mesh tops and leather outfits evoking industrial style could be seen throughout the venue, as
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Take This: Win Two Tickets to THICK at the Echo
Janky Smooth Central Command
April 13, 2022
Real recognizes real here at Jankysmooth and Brooklyn pop punk band, THICK are real and ready to make big waves. These gals are only starting to take over and we want you in on the scoop before they blow up. That’s why we’re giving away two tickets to their upcoming show at the Echo. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO THICK APRIL 15TH AT THE ECHO 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 THICK Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON APRIL 14TH AT 1PM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION
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Take This: Win Two Tickets to Ho99o9 at the Echoplex
Rob Shepyer
April 12, 2022
Our favorite dynamic duo are back in Los Angeles to kick your ass and play songs off their latest album SKIN. Ho99o9 never disappoints and neither do we. We’re giving away two ticket to see them at the Echoplex for y’all to fight over. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO HO99O9 APRIL 15TH AT THE ECHOPLEX 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 HO99O9 Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON APRIL 14TH AT 1PM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION
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Take This: Win Two Tickets to Sasami at Teragram
Rob Shepyer
April 11, 2022
Sasami has always been a darling of the indie and psych scenes but with her most recent album, Squeeze, we expect the metal kids to start digging her too. We’re giving away two tickets to her upcoming Teragram show and can’t wait to see you there. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO SASAMI APRIL 13TH 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 SASAMI Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON APRIL 12TH AT 1PM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION
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Photo Recap: Jawbreaker Celebrates 25 Years of Dear You at The Wiltern
Janky Smooth Central Command
April 10, 2022
For three nights, punk legends Jawbreaker celebrated the 25th anniversary of their album, Dear You. Jankysmooth sent our photographer to capture the emotional evening of music which featured opening performances of The Linda Lindas and Face to Face. From the youngest punk band on the scene to icons of the genre, this string of shows will go down in LA punk history. Jawbreaker Face to Face The Linda Lindas
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Happiness and Misery: Lights at the Glass House
Janky Smooth Central Command
April 10, 2022
Words and Photos by: Veronika Reinert It’s been several years since electro-pop sensation, Lights, has ventured down from her home base in Canada to perform live in the U.S. Her “Baby I’m Back” tour celebrates the debut of her fifth studio album, PEP. The record is her second release put out by Fueled By Ramen, adding her to their roster of distinguished artists such as Panic! at the Disco, Paramore, and Twenty One Pilots. “PEP is the dichotomy between happiness and absolute misery,” Lights told the crowd during her set on April 8th at The Glass House in Pomona, CA. Flipped upside down, the word “PEP” appears as “dEd.” The album’s aesthetic theme of bright red, yellow, and blue primary colors “make [her] feel happy,” she explained. This particular show was exactly one week out from her album release, giving fans just enough time to become familiar with the record to sing along with her live. Joined by Jess Bowen (drums) and Brodie Tavares (guitar and bass), Lights took the stage on the hottest day of the month at the sweltering Glass House for a diverse and enthusiastic, albeit sweaty, fan base. While Lights and her bandmates donned red, yellow,
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Sacred Vibration: Guided by Voices at Teragram
Rob Shepyer
April 9, 2022
Monty bar was popping off long before Guided by Voices hit the stage at the Teragram a few doors down. The band were busy downing Miller Lights and rubbing shoulders with the fans that keep the GBV legend strong. At first, my understanding of Guided by Voices’ cult status was merely a reflection of their prolificness. Having recorded 35 albums, one expects every show to last at least three hours, with a setlist spanning decades. Such was the case for this night where for 50 songs, Robert Pollard and company pulled out all the stops and gave fans the full GBV experience. After getting acquainted with the fans of Guided by Voices, it became much clearer to me why this band is so beloved that people will travel from different continents just to follow them around on tour or go to one show in Los Angeles. There were fans from New York, Seattle, Wales and Australia in our circle as we waited for the band to go on. Everyone was so incredibly welcoming and excited about seeing their favorite band that their enthusiasm made me want to join the family myself, in an admittedly poser move. I was curious though,
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Take This: Win Two Tickets to DOA at The Roxy
Rob Shepyer
April 7, 2022
Canada has produced a lot of great punk music, but no other band from the great white north has created hardcore punk that ripped quite as hard as DOA. That’s why we’re giving away two tickets to their show at The Roxy. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO DOA APRIL 12TH AT THE ROXY 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 DOA Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON APRIL 11TH AT 1PM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION
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