Tag: featured
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.
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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
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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
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Take This: Win 2 Tickets to Clutch at El Rey
Janky Smooth Central Command
October 3, 2018
Clutch is an American institution. No band captures the dichotomy of this nation quite as well as these country strong but city hip tunes and their new album, Book of Bad Decisions, is only the latest example of just that. I try to see Clutch every time they play in my area, I’ve yet to see them perform “10001110101” live but I feel like the more times I try, the better chances I have. So, I hope to see you there. But how you ask? Without tickets? Well, let us cover those for you. We are giving away two tickets to Clutch’s Book of Bad Decisions show at El Rey with support from none other than Sevendust. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE OR. ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO CLUTCH OCTOBER 12th AT EL REY THEATRE Step 1- Join Our Newsletter (look for pop up every time you arrive at jankysmooth.com) Step 2- Tag Clutch in the comment section of our Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook Clutch Giveaway Posts and write “10001110101” WINNER WILL BE WILL BE SELECTED ON MONDAY OCTOBER 8TH AT 11AM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION
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Food Sounds Good: Music Tastes Good Food Review
Rob Shepyer
October 2, 2018
Music Tastes Good returned to Marina Green Park and that means its cavalcade of gourmet chefs came with it to hold two days of tastings. Inside the glorious Taste Tent you could see gourmet chefs hard at work trying to meet the demands of these hungry festival-heads and the long lines were worth it, even for samples as small as two bites because these foods weren’t just good or gourmet, they were artisan crafted. They also offered cocktail mixing tutorials like the Mezcal mixing tutorial that was taking place while I toured the tent. First among the artisan chefs I visited on Sunday was Cameron Hanin of Seattle’s Ma’ono, who was serving a delicious Hawaiian style Fried chicken drumstick with a Daikon pickle slice on the side. The drumstick’s skin was crispy and sweet while the meat was succulent, juicy, and delicious. The pickle slice then complimented the chicken perfectly with a sweet, salty kick. I walked right over to Ryan Ososky‘s booth next. As the chef of Los Angeles’ Yardbird Southern Table, Ryan is bringing new spins to classic Southern food and recipes. Such was the case for his brisket on a biscuit tasting option, which featured the most tender,
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Lil B interview: Favorite Foods of the Based God
Rob Shepyer
September 28, 2018
With Music Tastes Good right around the corner and Lil B taking the stage to preach the Based philosophy to Long Beach, I wanted to ask the Based God anything and everything about food and its connection to spirituality. RS: What are your favorite foods to eat? Are there foods that are more “Based” than others? if so, what are they? What specific ingredients do you consider “Based”? LB: I love natural grown veggies. Those are pretty Based to me. RS: Do you have any favorite chefs? LB: Yeah. I love any of the chefs I met recently. I can’t really tell you by name but I’m gonna start making that my thing. The way I know different musicians, I’m gonna know different chefs. RS: With “Wonton Soup” being one of your most notable songs, are there any other foods you might be inspired to write a song about one day? LB: Yeah, it is very possible. I love food. RS: What are some of your favorite restaurants in Nor Cal and in So Cal? LB: I love restaurants in Berkeley, California. Piedmont, California. Oakland, California. San Francisco, California. The Lettuce Inn in Concord. RS: What do you see as
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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
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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,
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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
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Music Video Premiere: The Grinning Ghosts “I’ve Been Tired” – Janky Smooth Exclusive
Janky Smooth Central Command
September 26, 2018
Orange County’s underground The Grinning Ghosts are here to cheer you up with the gift of punk rock’s three great virtues, apathy, ennui, and angst. The band is made up of Thomas from Melted, Dan from Jurassic Shark, Brandi from MoonFuzz, Leo from Casual Friday, and Daryl from Eggy Pop. Little known fact, Thomas and Daryl attended the same elementary school where they were instructed in music by a man that played an ewok in Return of the Jedi. The Grinning Ghosts may be comprised of members from various bands but take a listen for yourself and see this is a different sound than all their other projects. Their music video for “I’ve Been Tired”, a cover of a Pixies song, gives the audience the chance to voyeur in on the aftermath of one wild apartment party. This gang of friends all sleep in precarious situations and every time the camera makes a pass through the apartment, everyone seems to have somehow changed positions without ever having woken up. The quirky punk surrealism of Michael Haight‘s directing perfectly matches the song’s upbeat and catchy dissidence. Throughout the video, you can spot various easter eggs and cameos from Southern California music scene heroes.
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Take This: Win 2 Tickets to Gary Numan at The Fonda
Janky Smooth Central Command
September 26, 2018
Gary Numan is a treasure in the world of electronic music and an innovator with the synthesizer. There’s a lot more to his music than his classic song “Cars” though. On this stretch of his Savage tour, you can see for yourself how his music has evolved into both a fantastical storytelling medium and into an industrial banger machine that punches hard enough for you to never forget. Janky Smooth invites you to travel to the dystopian future of Gary Numan by offering two tickets to his Fonda show in this contest. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE OR. ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO GARY NUMAN OCTOBER 6TH AT THE FONDA THEATRE 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 Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook Gary Numan Giveaway Posts WINNER WILL BE WILL BE SELECTED ON MONDAY OCTOBER 1ST AT 11AM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION
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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
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