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,
Showing posts with label Here We Go Magic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Here We Go Magic. Show all posts
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Go See Hear in L.A.: July 25-Aug. 1
This week I want to start at the end as the “Show of the Week” takes place on Saturday. The big Roots Roadhouse (www.myspace.com/thegrandoleecho) takes over the Echo and the Echoplex. The headliners are California honky tonk icon Red Simpson, legendary bluesman Model-T Ford, and the “King of California” Dave Alvin. If this trio isn’t enticing enough, the lineup also boasts terrific local acts as the Chapin Sisters, Leslie and the Badgers, Old Californio, I See Hawks In LA and Pete Anderson, as well as visiting dignitaries like Chatham County Line and Frontier Ruckus. It shapes up to be a fantastic day of American roots music.
There will also be another visiting dignitary performing on Saturday night who deserves "Show of the Week" considerations. The one and only Kinky Friedman (www.myspace.com/kinky_friedman) will be making his first LA appearance in nearly 20 years with a show at McCabe's. The Kinkster certainly has been busy over the years, becoming a celebrated mystery author and running for Governor in Texas. But he first got notoriety as a singer/songwriter and, with the help of two members of his old Texas Jewboy band, he’ll playing tunes that made him infamous (like “Sold American” and “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore.”).
For those in a different mood, freak folk goddess Joanna Newsom (www.myspace.com/joannanewsomfansite) also plays in town July 31 at the Orpheum Theatre.
Now, going back to earlier in the week. The Troubadour presents a terrific bill on the 27th featuring J. Tillman (www.myspace.com/jtillman) and Phosphorescent (www.myspace.com/phosphorescent). Tillman, who playing in the Fleet Foxes, crafts lovely spare music on his own while Alabama-born, Brooklyn-based Matthew Houck (aka Phosphorescent) really impressed him with the songs that I’ve heard off on his critically acclaimed new disc Here’s To Taking It Easy.
Another expert crafter of quiet tunes, Peter Bradley Adams (www.myspace.com/peterbradleyadams) returns to LA for a show at the Hotel Café on 7/28. Adams, who now lives in the Nashville area, has a way with gently alluring, intimately heartfelt tunes. If you want to get Peter's music, you can go here Also playing that night will be the Guggenheim Grotto (www.myspace.com/guggenheimgrotto), continuing their July Wednesday Hotel Café residency.
On the 28th, the Gibson Amphitheatre hosts two key members of the ‘80s UK New Wave scene: Squeeze (www.myspace.com/squeezeofficial) and English Beat (www.myspace.com/officialbeatspace). The English Beat’s debut is one of the liveliest, more dance-happy albums of its era (or maybe any era), while Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford have a true gift for writing literate and hooky tunes. They have made a “new” disc Spot The Difference, where they re-do some of their greatest hits.
Paul Thorn (www.myspace.com/paulthorn) is a wonderful Southern storyteller with a uniquely colorful past (he has been a prizefighter and a skydiver). Touring behind his powerful Pimps & Preachers album, Thorn appears at the Mint on July 28 and the Brixton in Redondo Beach on the 29th.
Here We Go Magic’s “Collector” (www.myspace.com/herewegomagic) is one of my favorite tunes of the year. Its infectious melody and pulsating rhythms recalls the ‘80s dance-pop without sounding like they just want to be the next hip thing from Brooklyn. They bring their eclectic beats to the Troubadour on 7/29.
The Pousette-Dart Band was an act from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s that I associate with folk-pop-country acts like Pure Prairie League, Firefall and, particularly, Jonathan Edwards. The PDB tune that I remember best is the dandy, humor-filled number, “Amnesia,” which still holds up very well. I don’t know what Jon Pousette-Dart (www.myspace.com/pousettedart) has been doing over the years, but he will be playing Genghis Cohen on July 30.
There will also be another visiting dignitary performing on Saturday night who deserves "Show of the Week" considerations. The one and only Kinky Friedman (www.myspace.com/kinky_friedman) will be making his first LA appearance in nearly 20 years with a show at McCabe's. The Kinkster certainly has been busy over the years, becoming a celebrated mystery author and running for Governor in Texas. But he first got notoriety as a singer/songwriter and, with the help of two members of his old Texas Jewboy band, he’ll playing tunes that made him infamous (like “Sold American” and “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore.”).
For those in a different mood, freak folk goddess Joanna Newsom (www.myspace.com/joannanewsomfansite) also plays in town July 31 at the Orpheum Theatre.
Now, going back to earlier in the week. The Troubadour presents a terrific bill on the 27th featuring J. Tillman (www.myspace.com/jtillman) and Phosphorescent (www.myspace.com/phosphorescent). Tillman, who playing in the Fleet Foxes, crafts lovely spare music on his own while Alabama-born, Brooklyn-based Matthew Houck (aka Phosphorescent) really impressed him with the songs that I’ve heard off on his critically acclaimed new disc Here’s To Taking It Easy.
Another expert crafter of quiet tunes, Peter Bradley Adams (www.myspace.com/peterbradleyadams) returns to LA for a show at the Hotel Café on 7/28. Adams, who now lives in the Nashville area, has a way with gently alluring, intimately heartfelt tunes. If you want to get Peter's music, you can go here Also playing that night will be the Guggenheim Grotto (www.myspace.com/guggenheimgrotto), continuing their July Wednesday Hotel Café residency.
On the 28th, the Gibson Amphitheatre hosts two key members of the ‘80s UK New Wave scene: Squeeze (www.myspace.com/squeezeofficial) and English Beat (www.myspace.com/officialbeatspace). The English Beat’s debut is one of the liveliest, more dance-happy albums of its era (or maybe any era), while Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford have a true gift for writing literate and hooky tunes. They have made a “new” disc Spot The Difference, where they re-do some of their greatest hits.
Paul Thorn (www.myspace.com/paulthorn) is a wonderful Southern storyteller with a uniquely colorful past (he has been a prizefighter and a skydiver). Touring behind his powerful Pimps & Preachers album, Thorn appears at the Mint on July 28 and the Brixton in Redondo Beach on the 29th.
Here We Go Magic’s “Collector” (www.myspace.com/herewegomagic) is one of my favorite tunes of the year. Its infectious melody and pulsating rhythms recalls the ‘80s dance-pop without sounding like they just want to be the next hip thing from Brooklyn. They bring their eclectic beats to the Troubadour on 7/29.
The Pousette-Dart Band was an act from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s that I associate with folk-pop-country acts like Pure Prairie League, Firefall and, particularly, Jonathan Edwards. The PDB tune that I remember best is the dandy, humor-filled number, “Amnesia,” which still holds up very well. I don’t know what Jon Pousette-Dart (www.myspace.com/pousettedart) has been doing over the years, but he will be playing Genghis Cohen on July 30.
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