Category: SHOWS

Arcade Fire at the Forum: Indie Rock’s Phoenix Burns Again

Danny Ryan November 30, 2022

While indie rock may still be one of the most popular genres amongst casual listeners, it’s no secret that the genre and aesthetics have fallen far past their heyday. With how many artists from the peak of indie rock that seem to be lost in their navigation of current trends, bands that have been able to adapt and reinvent themselves amongst new scenes really stand out in building a more promising future than their peers. Arcade Fire’s recent 2 night residency at The Forum represented a shift in direction for the band’s sound and overall attitude, feeling much more like an arena rock performance than the more modest and independent aesthetic that they were previously known for. With their recent Grammy nomination for “Best Alternative Rock Album”, Arcade Fire’s bold and energetic performance proved themselves as stars within the alternative genre as they continue to rise from the ashes of the indie scene they once dominated. Before Arcade Fire had even taken the stage, it was clear that their performance would be leagues more theatrical and grandiose than what most early 00’s indie bands have to offer in 2022. The Forum’s stage was transformed into a black hole as the

Austin Shines On: Levitation 2022

Janky Smooth Central Command November 18, 2022

Words by: David Lacroix Photos by: Grace Dunn On a Halloween weekend, concert aficionados from around the world packed clubs in Austin’s Red River district to the brim for 4 long nights of Neo-psychedelic music. Founded as Austin Psych Fest 15 years ago, Levitation curates compelling artists ranging from intimate performances by pioneers like desert-tinged rockers, Los Dug Dug’s and post-punk godfathers, the Jesus and Mary Chain. No festival on earth presents the pilgrim with the enviable problem of too many fantastic concerts to choose from like Levitation. The city’s culture lends Levitation much of its character, with the festival mostly spread around a few city blocks in the Red River district. All venues paint the skies with vivid projection light artwork. Levitation has long celebrated concert visuals; most shows featured either the twisted liquid light of Mad Alchemy or protégés of neo-psych visuals from Bob Mustachio, previous live visual artist for The Black Angels. With a multi-venue format, the festival fell across half-a-dozen or so venues within a short walking distance. The crowd took some time before arriving at Stubb’s but showed up in full-force for headliners, Jesus & Mary Chain. With guitar tones crushing like waves, Jesus and

Luna Lodge: Moon Duo at Lodge Room

Rob Shepyer November 16, 2022

The moon had a strange glow on this Monday night. Its light was bright but diffused behind a noir Highland Park haze. It was other-worldly, as was the neighborhood. For those who don’t frequent concerts on Monday nights, Highland Park can be a dead scene on a Monday. There’s nowhere to go, nowhere to hide out but within a bustling crowd at the Lodge Room’s loud and joyous happenings. No matter what sort of muted weirdness can be going on around Highland Park, so long as the Lodge Room buzzes, the beating heart of the neighborhood won’t let the city flatline into irrelevance. It’s this spirit that led the Lodge Room to 5 incredible years of music, making an unforgettable splash in Los Angeles music at its inception and now over its young life, we can see a scene its created that can be equated to the Sunset Strip in some senses, hosting a space for indie music of every variety to thrive. This was my second time seeing Moon Duo at the Lodge Room but my first time documenting the experience. I had to write down my observations of this performance because its one of the closest things in

Noise Punks on Potassium: Melt Banana at The Roxy

Rob Shepyer November 16, 2022

It had been years since Melt-Banana came to Los Angeles. Their last show at The Troubadour featured a lineup that pitted them beside Napalm Death and The Melvins, and though Melt-Banana didn’t headline that show, as time went on and the musical landscape changed, enough years had passed by 2022 that they became a very hot, headlining commodity in the world of weirdo music. No matter what scene you were in you had to be there, the urge was felt across punk, metal, hardcore and goth. So, in 2022, Melt-Banana returned to Los Angeles before a sold out Roxy Theatre and demolished the crowd that hailed them as legends of noise. Not only was the Japanese duo in question in rare form performance-wise on this night but every band they brought along in their crazy punk rock caravan put on equally wild and mind expanding sets. Psychic Graveyard were one of the best noise rock bands I’ve ever seen. Flipping switches, turning knobs and playing with doo-dads to create this massive behemoth of angry, artsy dysfunction. They jam hard, making electronics feel more rock and roll than any band I’ve seen, and as a result, you are washed in this

Vaporwave Halloween Party with George Clanton at The Lodge Room

Alfredo Luna November 12, 2022

The pioneer of vaporwave, George Clanton, was back in the Lodge Room for a very special and intimate Halloween celebration as part of the Lodge Room’s 5-year-anniversary concert series. Stringing together a two-show night with performances from Clanton and his ESPRIT moniker, as well as death’s dynamic shroud and Neggy Gemmy (Negative Gemini) for a night of 100% Electronica. With the vaporwave cult fanbase jamming in droves from the show’s very beginning to check out George Clanton’s ESPRIT performance, there was a powerful energy in the air. Coming out with an inflatable alien that would steal cthe show, this set was one of those rare and special performances that you just have to see at least once. With ESPRIT being many people’s introduction to vaporwave the music and the visuals crafted an ethereal experience. In a change of pace, death’s dynamic shroud brought a blend of experimental music that was more aggressive and in your face. Despite numerous technical difficulties that caused the audio to go out, this didn’t stop the duo from putting on a memorable performance. Masked by ghastly skeletal face-paint, the group emanated a harsh sound that was equally as dark as it was heavy. What really

All Hallow’s Melt: Halloween Meltdown 2022

Janky Smooth Central Command November 11, 2022

Words by: Gloria Velez Photos by: Workhorse Studios Halloween Meltdown spin-off to its summer time counterpart, “Mosswood Meltdown” (Formally Burger Boogaloo), thrown by Total Trash Productions and hosted by the “Pope of Trash” him self, John Waters, returned to Oakland’s Mosswood Park to kick off October with some spooky punk festivities. related content: Glorious Leader, Kim John Kill: Mosswood Meltdown 2022 The two day music festival with a halloween twist and a D.I.Y. feel, served up a stellar line up with headlining acts like Amyl and the Sniffers, Shannon and The Clams, The Spits, Lydia Lunch and Kid Congo Powers. The festival also featured a Haunted House designed by local musician and horror artist, Rob Fletcher and costume contest where attendees got a chance to win a $500 prize. Keeping in the Halloween Meltdown spirit all weekend, festival-goers and local music lovers stayed busy with a series of perfectly curated afterparties that sold out night after night. The afterparties, lead by Bay Area lo-fi garage punk legends The Mummies, and thrown at Oakland’s historic dive The Stork Club, where the perfect add on to the already fun weekend of Halloween Meltdown. Excited to be back in Oakland with fellow music

Freak Parade: Halloween Freakout at Lodge Room

Alfredo Luna November 10, 2022

Seattle based Freakout Records brought down the house with an eclectic lineup to help kick off the holiday festivities with the carefully curated Halloween Freakout that featured LA noise duo No Age and the legendary Melvins. Night 1 brought an eccentric mix of artists that ranged from old fashioned punk and rock and roll, an interstellar lounge act and an all out pysch-inspired meltdown to end the night. This felt like a can’t miss lineup from it’s inception, personally just seeing No Age on the bill made this a must-go event for me. With the crowd roaring in dressed in their best costumes and the bands matching the energy, all the keys were there to make this a great night. Leading off the night were The Pistols who I feel are the living embodiment of old school rock n roll that aren’t afraid to show this off in spirit. With guitarist Mickey paying homage to Mick Jagger’s 1969 performance at Madison Square Garden and the rest of the band looking like they were plucked straight out of a venue from the same era, the look really set the stage for the energy they gave off from their performance. With a

Photo Recap: Gogol Bordello at The Observatory North Park

Janky Smooth Central Command November 9, 2022

Gogol Bordello‘s return to Southern California had been long-awaited as soon as The Solidaritine tour was announced. Their first stop in our neck of the woods was San Diego’s Observatory North Park where the band had the audience in the palm of their hand, taking them on a sweeping journey through Gogol’s catalogue, including songs off Solidaritine, and all the classics ranging from Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike. It doesn’t feel like it but Gogol Bordello has been around for over two decades, spreading inclusivity through punk rock. Although originally constructed as a blend of Eastern European culture and punk, the band expanded to involve various forms of world music to make a truly gypsy vision. Those that experience a Gogol show come away with a more worldly sensibility. Eugene Hutz’s Ukrainian roots were never diluted upon the band’s expansion. With Ukraine under Russian attack in this hideous situation, the many stops and long performances of this tour are all an effort to support Ukraine and Eugene’s fellow countrymen. You could tell the band was going extra hard because you could feel lives hung in the balance of this musical effort. We got photos from their Observatory North Park show

Desert Daze 2022: 10 Years In The Evolution Of A Music Scene

Danny Baraz November 8, 2022

Walking into Lake Perris Recreational Center took on new meanings this year after last year’s Desert Daze served to exorcize the ghosts of a global pandemic, to teach us that “Nothing that has happened so far has been anything we could control” and heal our mind, body and souls with drum soul-os. While 2021’s pared down Desert Daze was a cautious delight in a sea of dreck on earth, Desert Daze 2022 was a perfectly curated reckless abandon of people having sex in the lake again and breathing all over each other- in through the nose, out through the mouth. The headliners captured 10 years in the evolution of a music scene, the ascent of previously buzzworthy bands into icons celebrating a decade of seminal albums and a new wave of artists that might also one day celebrate the recently released albums they are currently touring on. For some people, Iggy Pop pulling out of the festival before he could impregnate us with music was a deal breaker but luckily, I received so much Iggy sperm the last 6 years that I was ready to bear my Beach House baby. related: Desert Daze 2021- Music, Magick and Medicine 2022 was

30 years of “Bricks Are Heavy”: L7 at the Regent

Danny Ryan November 7, 2022

In celebration of its 30th Anniversary, L7 performed their groundbreaking 1992 album Bricks are Heavy in its entirety for two sold out nights at the Regent Theater. With the original lineup present, L7 brought the rage-filled attitude of 1992 to the modern day with the utmost passion as they played to a crowd of diehard fans of the classic album. With how fundamental L7 was in refining the grunge sound and empowering women artists of the early 90’s, the concert was a rare opportunity to experience one of the most important eras in music history up-close and intimately. It’s hard to imagine the album being 30 years old now, with L7 still generating the youthful punk-rock spirit that made them legends in the first place. One of the first things that could be noticed upon entering The Regent Theater that night was how wide the range of ages in the audience was. It was immediately apparent how inspirational L7 has been for younger feminism-focused music scenes, as they had been releasing albums before the Riot Grrrl movement and the mainstream explosion of female-fronted punk bands like No Doubt in the 90’s. Even though many of these younger fans may not