If you sit on that bench next to the bar in The Echo, the one that looks like half a back seat of a 1970-something Buick, you can watch the cars race along Sunset. There's a hole in the wall. I'm not sure why it's there, but the effect is mesmerizing.
After how many years of hearing that the Echo Park club is remodeling or has been remodled, The Echo is now in midst of a serious refurbish. Despite the hole in the wall and an intense smell of paint that hits primarily when one stands in the corners of the club, it already looks like less of a hellhole. Kids, you no longer see insulation and oversized tubes when you look towards the ceiling. I got to The Echo at 7:30, a half hour late for my interview with The Autumns. But, as any seasoned interviewer of bands will tell you, soundcheck is never less than an hour behind schedule, so my tardiness meant that I waited less than a half-hour before the band left the stage and were ready to answer some questions. I'm not sure how many times I have interviewed the band over the years. At least thrice. Confusion resides in the fact that I can't remember how many times the band came up to my show at KXLU for an interview and how many times they came up just to play live. Regardless, Matthew said that this piece is the most accurate history of the band from that period (late-1990s). Awesome.
After The Autumns interview ended, I had time to kill and half-a-side of blank tape remaining, so I decided to interview Pop Noir. Good times. Good stories.
After two opening acts, The Autumns played. The place was packed about as tightly as an average Saturday at Hang the DJs. Thus, it was near impossible for me to see anything. I guess I could have squeezed forward, but that would have required squeezing through a crowd and unintentionally touching people, which I am loath to do. So not goth. So I stood in the back, content with occasionally moving up to my tiptoes to look over the crowd of 6'5" blonde dudes in front of me. Judging from last night's show and the recent gig at Violaine, I am inclined to say that the band's new record will be their best yet. Fiesty is how I described the band's stage presence of late during our chat and I'm sticking to that.
In between The Autumns and Pop Noir, I was outside with some girl I had just met comparing notes on Autumns show. It's kind of strange if you think about it: Nobody has seen The Autumns just once.
Pop Noir played a nice, tight set following The Autumns. Nico is a great addition on the drums, as he really fills out the band's sound. I noticed a song called "Santa Ana" during the set that I think might be relatively new. Either I haven't heard them play it before or it never hit me prior to last night. Joe and Luke have obviously paid close attention in history class.
The band closed with "Paint it Black," which is the best version of the song I have heard yet. In fact, right after the song ended and I was about to leave, I ran into Matthew from The Autumns and he said, "Isn't that great?!" Yes, it is.
This year, L.A., you need Pop Noir and The Autumns on your radar.

Labels: Awesome Local Bands, Pop Noir, Show Reviews, The Autumns

There I was, standing on Ventura Blvd., minding my own business and this guy driving a huge Escalade was stopped at the red, blasting his music with the bass on the make-the-shitty-LA-streets-vibrate level. I looked inside the car and, lo and behold, it was Mr. Randy Jackson of American Idol. I appreciate older folks who like to listen to their tunes at levels generally only utilized by 16-year-olds and yours truly.

Tonight, The Autumns and Pop Noir are playing The Echo. I am going. So should you.

Labels: Rock Stars, Upcoming Shows

Why Club NME isn't packed every week is beyond me. The caliber of live performances there is consistently high and last night was no exception. I went solo since Carlos was out sick, Ivan was at Brazilian Girls and I couldn't find anyone else who was available for last minute fun. I hung out with Dia and some people that I met for the first time last night. Handed out copies of The Rockit. Saw people reading copies that they had acquired from the front of the club. Then, when the bands played, I found an empty table and bench spot and sat down with my notebook and pen, scribbling away fragments that will turn into a show review.
People of San Diego, I suggest you check out Electrocute on 2/10, when the duo plays the Beauty Bar. L.A. kids, you can catch them on 2/13 at Hyperion Tavern. "Shag Balls" is when you will totally lose it, when you will want to star jumping on top of the bar stools and shaking your own maracas.
People of Las Vegas, check out The Lady Tigra on 2/14 at Alladin. Everyone else in L.A., you suck. You should have been at the show. You would have been running onstage to dance, hugging your friends and falling in love The Lady Tigra. You would have regained your faith in the world because sometimes the people who made songs you loved as a kid can still make songs that you will love.

Labels: Clubs We Love, Electrocute, The Lady Tigra

The Lady Tigra, formerly of L'Trimm, is playing Spaceland tonight for Club NME.

It's going to be mad fun.

Electrocute is opening. I didn't realize that they were a) still around and b) living in Los Angeles. Should be cool. Major Transmission flashback there.

Labels: Upcoming Shows

Check out the online version, look for print at L.A. area shops and clubs. In this issue:

Shiny Toy Guns
Cursive
The Melvins
Hellogoodbye
¡Forward Russia!
Aberdeen City
Partyline
WrittenHouse
Cute Phase
Midnight Movies
Winston and the Telescreen
Plus live reviews, CD reviews and new regulars like Bar, Fashion and Restaurant Spotlights and our faux mixtape.

Labels: The Rockit

Cute Phase just did a cover of A Flock of Seagull's classic "Space Age Love Song."

What, you thought "I Ran" was AFOS's only hit?

The original was a favorite of mine when I was a wee lass. Years later, the summer after freshman year of college, my friend Amy and I would go to Stigmata nearly every week and lie in wait for this song. Pure bliss for maudlin romantics.

Anyhow, Cute Phase's version is slower, maybe a little more Cure-ish in the guitar department, yet maintains the all-out dreaminess of the original.

You can hear it here.

Don't forget to check out Cute Phase at Roberto's Bar and Grill with Pop Noir and Moxy on Valentine's Day. It's free and promises all sorts of NewRo fun.

Labels: A Flock of Seagulls, Awesome Local Bands, Cute Phase, New Music, New Romantics, Upcoming Shows

No hype, The Bubonic Plague has to be one of the most interesting and creative bands in this fine city. Last night, the band followed the old adage "the show must go on," by playing M/R/X despite the fact that singer Geneva was otherwise engaged in another town with another band. To make up for this, the band offered a truly spectral image of Geneva. She performed via a perfectly synced video played against the scrim. Geneva even appeared during the downtime between songs, pacing back and forth as though she was getting irritated with everything.

You must go out and see The Bubonic Plague as soon as you have the chance. If you don't believe me, ask around. I can ensure you that Carlos, Robert and everyone else there will say the same thing.

Also, you must check out M/R/X as well. DJ/Promoter Job Leatherette is an old club buddy of mine, dating back to our late-teenage years at Helter Skelter. I will personally attest to the flawlessness of his taste in music. After all, I wouldn't hang out with DJs that play crap. Job has been doing M/R/X off and on for a few years now. Back when he was doing it at The Parlour (RIP), I would go almost every week so that I could dance to stuff like Fad Gadget, Virgin Prunes, Le Car, Adult. and new stuff from Germany that even I hadn't heard yet. Flawless.

Go to M/R/X. You won't regret it.

Labels: Awesome Local Bands, Clubs We Love, The Bubonic Plague