Sunday, October 31, 2010

Go See Hear In L.A.: Nov. 1-7

Welcome to November. Wow, somehow we're only weeks from Thanksgiving and only days from seeing Christmas decorations.
Anyway, it's another fine week with a wealth of musical choices and here is what I recommend.

This week’s top shows offer two cool pairings. Elton John and Leon Russell play the Palladium on Nov. 3 to support their new duet disc, The Union. It’s nice to see both musicians making relevant music again.

Mavis Staples and Billy Bragg haven’t made an album together but they are touring together (with a show at Royce Hall Nov. 5) and a common friend, Jeff Tweedy. The Wilco frontman produced Staples new album You Are Not Alone and teamed up with Bragg a few back on the Woody Guthrie project Mermaid Avenue.

Several shows this week I highlighted already in a piece I wrote for City’s Best Los Angeles (http://www.citysbest.com/los-angeles/news/2010/10/26/this-falls-british-invasion-5-u-k-artists-not-to-miss/). The concerts include Paul Weller’s appearance at the Wiltern Nov. 3. His “check-them-out too” opening act, Alessi’s Ark (www.myspace.com/alessisark)is at the Mint Nov. 2. UK troubadour Johnny Flynn (www.myspace.com/johnnyflynn) is at the Hotel Café Nov. 5-6 with Americana chanteuse Cheyenne Marie Mize (www.myspace.com/shinymoneymize). Massive Attack headlines the LA101 show at the Gibson Nov. 7.

Nov. 7 also is the big Frontier Records Anniversary show that Part Time Punks is hosting at the Echoplex. A number of old Frontier Records bands will be back to play, with the Pontiac Brothers being a particular favorite of this writer.

On the 5th, the Wiltern hosts a terrific double bill featuring Dr. Dog (www.myspace.com/drdog) and Here We Go Magic (http://www.myspace.com/herewegomagic) – yes, another Brooklyn band but their song “Collecter” is indeed magical.


Other shows to recommend this week include The Apples In Stereo at the Echoplex Monday 11/1, where they’ll be showcasing their new delightful new offering, Travellers in Space And Time.

Fans of female singer/songwriters have a pair of choices on Nov. 3. With Ingrid Michaelson having a show at the Music Box and impressive newcomer Kelli Scarr (www.myspace.com/kelliscarr), whom I have recommended before, at the Hotel Café. If you time it right, you might be able to see both.


Nov. 4’s choice involves Loch & Key (www.myspace.com/lochandkey), an enchanting local outfit that I have also praised here in the past, at the Silverlake Lounge and chamber folk artist Emily Wells (www.myspace.com/emilywells) at Largo with singer-songwriter Henry Wolfe.

Largo hosts Paula Cole on Friday the 5th, while the House of Blues welcomes Great Big Sea and Mississippi’s punkish
Colour Revolt (http://www.myspace.com/colourrevolt) comes to the Bootleg.

Blues fan should head to the Brixton in Redondo Beach on Nov. 6 because that’s where blues giant Charlie Musselwhite will be performing.

The eclectic UK dance-pop group Florence and the Machine (http://www.myspace.com/florenceandthemachine) has a string of shows at the Wiltern Nov. 6-8,

No comments: