The Gorge Will Be My Home ALL WEEKEND! :-)

Home by LCD Soundsystem

Home by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

My Morning Jacket THIS Weekend @ The Gorge!

With The Sasquatch! Music Festival at The Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington only a few short days away (I bought a sleeping bag & a handle of vodka last night so I'm already packed), I figured it was necessary to give some love to one of my favorite bands ever, MY MORNING JACKET. Their show at The Gorge this weekend is going to be epic. Stay tuned for video clips next week!

Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Part 2

Wordless Chorus

Dondante

Gideon

The Muddy Reds & The Venus Illuminato @ The Mint - 5/24/10

Another fantastic show by 2 of my favorite local LA bands :-)

I had a great video of one of The Venus Illuminato's brand new songs but then I accidentally erased it! Oops!

Leave House by Caribou

I CANNOT WAIT to hear this song live at The Gorge in Washington next Sunday!!!

Broken Bells @ The Music Box (at The Fonda) - 5/19/10

Last night, my BFF Sarah & I went to our 1st show ever just the 2 of us & it was FABULOUS! Back in early April, tickets for the Broken Bells show sold out in less than 10 minutes &, luckily, I set multiple alarms for the 10am Saturday sale so I'd be sure not to miss my small window of opportunity. Sarah & I were beyond grateful we were able to snag a pair of tickets since we had many friends who wanted to attend the show but couldn't because it sold out so quickly.

After months of hype surrounding their new collaborative project, James Mercer (of The Shins) & Danger Mouse (of Gnarls Barkley) definitely did not disappoint. Last night's performance was only the 2nd show of Broken Bells' debut tour yet it seemed as though James & Danger had been making music together for years.

James Mercer's voice sounds fantastic live & Danger Mouse is a pro on both drums & keyboard. I was also a big fan of the psychedelic lighting visualizations along with the band's sharp shadows cast onto the main screen behind them.

Other highlights included Broken Bells' beautiful cover of Crimson & Clover & the 2 song encore where they played one song I didn't recognize but LOVED (I assume/hope it'll be on their next album) then closed out the entire show with an awesome rendition October.

Your Head Is On Fire

Trap Doors

May 20th --> May 24th Local LA Live Music Extravaganza

THE MUST SEE SHOWS THIS WEEK!!!

Thursday, May 20th - Vanaprasta @ The Troubadour

Friday, May 21st - Alma Desnuda @ Trip in Santa Monica

Saturday, May 22nd - Benvenue @ The Joint

*Note from Benvenue: Here we come Los Angeles! So anyone in Los Angeles this weekend who has seen Benvenue .Please we need your support more than ever! We are competing in the finals to be able play a show in New York at the beginning of June. The last show in Los Angeles was amazing and would like to thank everyone who attended. I know its late notice but our band is finally gaining some recognition and this is the finals people. So please come show your support and thank you once again!

Sunday, May 23rd - Redstone Hall @ The Mint

***Monday, May 24th - The Muddy Reds & Venus Illuminato @ The Mint***

*Note from The Muddy Reds: Come on out Monday, May 24th at 9:45pm to The Mint! We'll be showcasing a bunch of new songs and showing off all the hard work we've been putting in lately. Cover at the door is $10. ALL AGES! We will be filmed at this event for a documentary we are starring in called Unsigned. If you haven't gotten your Muddy Reds fix in lately, now's a good time! See you there

Bay to Breakers Dance Party

"What a weird day." - Blair Walsh

Fine Young Cannibals by Wolf Parade

As I sit here eagerly waiting for the new Wolf Parade album, Expo 86, to finish downloading onto my computer, I'm enjoying one of my favorite Wolf Parade songs from their last album, At Mount Zoomer.

Fine Young Cannibals

Total Life Forever by Foals

Sea of Cowards by The Dead Weather

After the July '09 release of The Dead Weather's debut album Horehound, Jack White (of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs), Alison Mosshart (of The Kills), Dean Fertita (of Queens of the Stone Age) and Jack Lawrence (of The Raconteurs) have all done us a huge favor by dropping their 2nd album less than year after the 1st. I was fortunate enough to hear several of these songs during The Dead Weather's incredible Saturday night set at Coachella last month but, at the time, I was unaware the songs I didn't recognize were tracks off their soon to be released new album. Needless to say, I was thrilled when I learned Sea of Cowards would be hitting stores/Itunes in only a few short weeks.

I have major crushes on Jack White AND Alison Mosshart. They're both extremely talented musicians & they both put on a fantastic live show, whether they're performing together or apart. I have seen The Raconteurs twice, The Kills twice AND The Dead Weather twice. Now I just need The White Stripes to go on one more tour & my life will be complete. The last time I had tickets to see The White Stripes in Sept '07, they canceled the 2nd half of their tour due to Meg's "acute anxiety". I was PISSED. I don't blame Jack for moving on with Alison. She kicks ass.

Die By The Drop

Blue Blood Blues - Live at Coachella 2010 (I was there!)

Gasoline

Kilometer by Sebastien Tellier

I just heard this super sexy song by French stud Sebastien Tellier at 1:30am on KCRW & I was seriously groovin' out to it in my car so, naturally, I looked it up online immediately when I got home. The music video takes this righteous track to a whole new level...

24 Hour Party People

If you like music & you like movies, be sure to check out the awesome 2002 British film 24 Hour Party People. It definitely got me on a Joy Division kick tonight...

San Francisco Oyster Festival - 5/15/10

Looking for the perfect Bay to Breakers pre-party in SF next weekend? Then look no further & order your ticket for the 11th Annual Oyster Fest in The Great Meadow at Fort Mason Saturday 5/15 starting at 11am! Cake AND The Raveonettes will be performing! It's gonna be really fun!




Buy your tickets here: http://www.oreillysoysterfestival.com/

The Muddy Reds Road Trip to SF!

If you live in SF, you need to go see my dear friends The Muddy Reds at Grant & Green Saloon on Sunday night! They put on a hell of a show & I guarantee they're totally worth a little hangover on Monday morning.

Broken Social Scene @ The Fonda - 5/3/10

On Monday night, Broken Social Scene played at The Music Box in Hollywood (better known simply as "The Fonda") & they kicked some serious ass. After a super fun Downtown LA preparty, 3 of my favorite concert buddies & I arrived at The Fonda just as BSS was opening their 2 hour & 10 minute set (they ran 40 minutes over schedule). BSS had an average of 10 people on stage at any given moment (I counted) & all the performers were perfectly in sync. They were like a jam band rock symphony. My buddy Collin echoed my own sentiments exactly when he said, "There's something about 5 electric guitars playing at once that I just love." A 5 piece brass section didn't hurt either. Occasionally, there was even a violinist in the mix & the violin always adds a touch of class. 

Other highlights included the fantastic lighting (always a crucial component) & frontman Kevin Drew who immediately won me over with his easygoing, charismatic demeanor. In between songs, he light-heartedly joked around with the crowd spouting little pearls of wisdom like "Enjoy your life" & "Good luck. You know what you gotta do. You don't want to do it...but you gotta."

I cannot wait to see Broken Social Scene again in only 3 short weeks at Sasquatch! I can only imagine how epic their Saturday afternoon set will be on the main stage at The Gorge!

Atlantic Line @ Silverlake Lounge TONIGHT!!!

If you didn't listen to me the 1st time I told you to download Atlantic Line's album for free here http://www.atlanticlinemusic.com/album/index.html, listen to me now & do it immediately. Then come join me tonight for their $8 show at Silverlake Lounge!

Rebel Souljahz & Katchafire @ Brixton in Redondo Beach - 5/2/10

After a full weekend of partying on the beach in Playa Del Rey, it was pretty tough to rally to go out in Redondo Beach on Sunday night but I sure am glad I did!

Rebel Souljahz


Katchafire

Phantogram & The Antlers @ The Troubadour - 4/30/10

I was first introduced to both Phantogram & The Antlers a few weeks ago when my friend Del told me their 4/30 show at The Troubadour was THE show to see. I immediately bought myself a ticket & THEN I started listening to both bands' albums.

Eyelid Movies by Phantogram & Hospice by The Antlers are records you can listen to straight through because every song is THAT good & they're both albums you want to hear over & over again. I'm SO happy I took Del's advice & went to the Phantogram/Antlers show last night because it was one of the best small venue shows I have ever seen :-)

Phantogram & The Antlers are both ridiculously good live. I've got a new girl crush on super sexy Sarah Barthel of Phantogram. She's SO into the music, it's contagious. I got to meet Sarah after The Antlers' set & we took a picture together which was just icing on the cake! 

Mouthful of Diamonds

When I'm Small

The Antlers' music is beautiful, emotional & FAR more powerful live than it is on their album...& I LOVE Hospice so that just means they blow your mind live. I was so overwhelmed by the end of The Antlers' set, I seriously almost cried. 

New song by The Antlers

The Troubadour is quickly becoming my favorite indoor LA venue (although The El Rey Theater still totally gives The Troub a run for its money). It's small & the acoustics are perfect. Plus, when you post up on a railing on the 2nd floor (like I did tonight), you get a PERFECT view.

Brothers by The Black Keys

I’ve seen The Black Keys live two times &, both times, I’ve managed to screw something up.

The first time was at Outside Lands 2008 in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park where two more of my favorite artists, Radiohead & Beck, were also on Friday’s bill. I insisted that my friend Tommy come with me even though he didn’t have a ticket &, although he was eventually able to buy a ticket at the box office, we had to wait in line for over an hour & we ended up missing the first half of The Black Keys’ hour set. Needless to say, I was bummed but, back then, I wasn’t nearly as big a fan as I am today AND I was about to see Radiohead for my very first time so I was still doing alright.

The second screw-up was far worse than the first & took place at Coachella 2009. I’ve been to Coachella the past 6 years in a row & I have an annual routine where I drink as much vodka as I possibly can on my drive to the festival in order to avoid spending a ridiculous amount of money of $7 Heinekens in the beer gardens. I usually achieve a mild to moderate buzz & walk onto the polo fields feeling fantastic but, on Friday of Coachella 2009, I went a little overboard & walked into the show pretty much blacked out. My sobriety returned a couple hours after my arrival & I remember everything about Ghostland Observatory, Paul McCartney & Beirut later that night but my memory of the Black Keys’ late afternoon set is just one big happy blur. I know I enjoyed the show but I can’t specifically remember the details & that sucks. I’m determined to get it right the next time I’m lucky enough to see my beloved Black Keys perform live & I’ve learned a valuable lesson: Don’t blackout before you see The Black Keys.

I adore The Black Keys &, in my opinion, they can do no wrong. Some people couldn’t really get into their recent hip hop-rock collaboration project Blakroc (featuring huge rappers like Mos Def, RZA, Ludacris & Pharoahe Monch) but I personally thought it was bad ass. Despite Blakroc’s mixed reviews, I have no doubt the 8^th Black Keys’ studio record Brothers (set for official release on May 18^th) is going to be a huge success.

Brothers was leaked on the Internet on April 19^th & I’ve been rocking out to it nonstop ever since. There are MANY hard-hitting, classic-sounding Black Keys tracks like Sinister Kid, She’s Long Gone, Howlin’ For You, The Go Getter, Tighten Up & Next Girl (& I love them ALL) but the Keys have also added a lot of unique variation to this album with slower, sadder songs like the album’s closing track These Days & an AMAZING cover of Jerry Butler's Never Gonna Give You Up. Dan Auerbach channels his inner Otis Redding & the results are simply magical.

GET THE ALBUM HERE: http://drop.io/qblqapj