by Brad Roberts
Time for another band that are among my favorite live bands. Manchester's Elbow (at right) venture out of Great Britain infrequently enough that there's never any chance I will allow myself to miss them. Totally ingratiating, thoroughly professional, they always put on a show that is designed for both the larger venues they tend to play in and yet geared to each individual with the direct connection lead singer Guy Garvey seems to make eye contact with each and every audience member. His obvious joy of performing is transferred directly to us and the atmosphere is of unbridled mutual respect. They have a date on Wednesday at The Wiltern.
Locally, yOya are on the Air Life residency schedule at The Satellite and In The Valley Below have The Mercy Beat on tap at The Echo (it would be useful if the links at their website worked) for their Monday night Memorial Day shows. Speaking of the holiday, it may cause this week's listings to be a bit light with the day off and all. And get ready and mark your calendar, next Saturday, June 7, is one of Los Angeles' finest festivals, Make Music Pasadena. I've always had a great time at this event and this year looks to be no exception.
Last Friday was my chance to catch up with Jefferson Starship for their 40th Anniversary tour at Saban Theatre and it was pretty fascinating. I have to say the absence of Grace Slick is seriously felt, although Cathy Richardson has a fine voice that is perhaps more polished than Slick's, she doesn't have that particular tambre, creamy warmth or the sharp edges that made Grace so unique. But that complaint aside, it was wonderful to hear some of the more obscure songs in addition to the expected favorites. Culled from both Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship catalogs, the set list, of course, included "Somebody To Love" and "White Rabbit", but it was songs from two of my favorite offshoot albums, Baron Von Tollbooth and The Chrome Nun and Blows Against The Empire that were thrilling to hear. Wish they'd played something from Sunfighter. Paul Kantner's voice may not hit the higher ranges he used to be capable of, but the voice is familiar and gains in it's deeper tones, while David Freiberg sounds remarkably just the same, so the trio, with Cathy, singing together still achieved some of the mighty vocal harmonies they were famous for.
Monday, May 26
- Air Life, yOya, Sweet Bump It, Tower, Hayley Kiyoko @ The Satellite
- In The Valley Below, The Mercy Beat, Omniflux @ The Echo
- "School Night!" w/ Yelle, Skaers, Pyramid Vritra, Chancellor Warhol @ Bardot
- Jarell Perry, Gallant, Dead Times, Alex Isley @ Bootleg HiFi
- The Acetates EP release, Trash Honey, Steps of Doe, Devon Clarke Geyer @ Silver Lake Lounge
- The Bloody Beetroots, Jayceeoh, SNBRN @ The Fonda Theatre
- My Satellite, Fire In The Hamptons @ Harvard & Stone
DECISION:Today is Memorial Day and there are a couple of free shows to recommend. Air Life are presenting a holiday bill for the final night of their May residency at The Satellite with five bands, indie/folk wonders with the amazing vocals, yOya (at right) are always worthy of a trip out. Big band rock and soul from Sweet Bump It, brand new San Fernando Valley band, Tower and actress/singer Hayley Kiyoko round out this bill with great variety. In The Valley Below are so adept at old 60's style fold/bluegrass that you'd swear you time travelling and they are rounding out their month's residency with the potent line up of The Mercy Beat and Omniflux at The Echo.
Tuesday, May 27
- Rich Robinson Band LA album release party, Crusade @ The Satellite
- Blood Red Shoes, Radkey, Gothic Tropic @ The Echo
- Daniel Brummer, Mizz Absurd, Stereo Monster, Sea Ghouls @ O'Brien's
- The Janks, Irontom, Flower Punks @ Del Monte Speakeasy at The Townhouse
- Brian Marquis Record Release Show, Brandyn Burnette, Jef Joslin, Andrew Marks @ Hotel Café
- John Waite @ The Grammy Museum
- Kill The Dance Floor, The Orange, The Lexingtons @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Chet Faker, Sweater Beats @ The Roxy
- Liars, Cherry Glazerr @ The Fonda Theatre
- Panda Bear, Peaking Lights @ El Rey
- SOHN, Mr. Little Jeans @ The Troubadour
DECISION:A couple of delightful, smaller shows to the west tonight. Over at O'Brien's in Santa Monica there is a program with Mizz Absurd (at right) Sea Ghouls, and in Venice at the Del Monte Speakeasy at The Townhouse catch The Janks and Irontom.
Wednesday, May 28
- Elbow, John Grant @ The Wiltern
- Babes EP release party, Mosco Rosco @ The Satellite
- Willie Watson Record Release @ Bootleg HiFi
- Peanut Butter Wolf @ Amoeba Music
- Thomas Dybdahl, Broken Arrow, Victoria Williams, Miranda Lee Richardson, Son of The Velvet Rat, Genevieve Bellemare @ Hotel Café
- Jamestown Revival @ The Grammy Museum
- "Desert Nights" w/ Cristina Black, The Velopheliacs, Micky Adams @ The Standard
- Roll The Tanks Record Release Show, The Mo-Odds, Vanish Valley @ El Cid
- The Bolts, Cassie B., The Coffis Brothers, Familiar Looking Strangers @ The Viper Room
- First Aid Kit, Willy Mason @ El Rey
- The Vim Dicta @ Harvard & Stone
- Crystal Fighters, Wunder Wunder @ The Troubadour
DECISION:
I'll be seeing Elbow (at right) for the fifth time tonight, and the anticipation of hearing them perform their latest album, The Taking Off and Landing of Everything, will be matched and fulfilled by the actual event, as they never disappoint. On tour with John Grant at The Wiltern. Hate to miss the latest installment of the Broken Arrow residency at Hotel Café, again featuring opening act Thomas Dybdahl, and added treats, Victoria Williams at 10 and Miranda Lee Richardson at 11 and Son of The Velvet Rat at midnight. At El Cid is another good show with The Mo-Odds and Vanish Valley playing for the Roll The Tanks Record Release Show.
Thursdays May 29
- Local H, Bad Veins @ The Satellite
- Potty Mouth, Perfect Pussy, The Bots @ The Echo
- Throwing Muses, Tanya Donelly @ Bootleg Bar
- The Wellspring, Dresses, Ted Z & The Wranglers, Céleigh Chapman, Jackson Odell, Familiar Looking Strangers @ Hotel Café
- Matt Van Winkle @ Muddy Leak
- The Downtown Train @ Del Monte Speakeasy at The Townhouse
- The Run Downhill Daughter Chautauqua w/ musical guests Frank Fairfield, Three Thirds @ HM157
- Chet Faker, Sweater Beats @ The Roxy
- Banks, Jerome LOL @ El Rey
- Jamestown Revival, The Wind + The Wave, Kris Orlowski @ The Troubadour
- Die Antwoord @ The Fonda Theatre
- Manhattan Murder Mystery, Habits, Lilacs, Alone @ The Smell
DECISION:
After last night's show at The Grammy Museum, Jamestown Revival (above) play The Troubadour, for a two-fer this week, as Matt Van Winkle does his second show of the week at Muddy Leak. Manhattan Murder Mystery are back at The Smell, and The Run Downhill Daughter Chautauqua event features musical guests Frank Fairfield and Three Thirds at HM157.
Friday, May 30
- Eagulls, Twin Peaks, Criminal Hygiene @ The Satellite
- Dax Riggs, The Record Company (acoustic set) @ Monty Bar
- Pink Mountaintops, Giant Drag @ The Echo
- Danny McGaw, Phillip Rosenberg, Matt Van Winkle @ Taix Lounge
- Throwing Muses, Tanya Donelly @ Bootleg Bar
- Liars @ The Getty
- French Horn Rebellion, Hey Champ @ The Roxy
- Emerson Star, Big Tree @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Brody Dalle, The Singles @ The Troubadour
- Big Data, Soft Swells @ The Viper Room
- Luscious Jackson, DJ ADW Young, Money Mark @ El Rey
- Priscilla Ahn @ The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
- Stu Larsen w/ Adam Burrows, Jameson & Friends, Ryan Hanill, Unknown Natives @ Hotel Café
- Soft Sailors, Untoward Children, Galaxykat, Flight Crew @ Pehrspace
- Roy Book Binder @ McCabe's
- The Lovely Bad Things, GRMLN, Dustin & The Explosions, Turbo Lightning @ The Smell
- Wartime Recitals, The Brave Ones, Sanglorians, Nick Lampone and the Sweethearts @ El Cid
DECISION:
Taix Lounge has a show with Matt Van Winkle (at right) and my buddies Emerson Star are at Silver Lake Lounge and Priscilla Ahn sells out The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Saturday, May 31
- The Singles @ Origami Vinyl
- Jhameel record release party, DWNTWN, The Cold & Lovely @ The Satellite
- Sweet Baby Fest w/ Dam-Funk, Feels, Caught A Ghost, Galvyn, DJ Hoppa, Eddy Funkster, DJ DubPlates, J. Laser @ Bootleg HiFi
- Buddy Ottewell w/ Buddy, Shoshana Bean, Cave Clove & Tony, Jiha Lee @ Hotel Café
- The Aquadolls, Bodysnatchers, Brannigan's Law, Negro Galacticus @ The Smell
- Jeffertitti's Nile, LA Witch, Dear Beloveds, Sock-Puppet Sitcom Theatre @ HM157
- Thruster, Atomic Ape @ El Cid
- Seahaven, Adventures, Foxing @ The Troubadour
- Ron Pope, Marty Shannon, Charlie Oxford @ The Roxy
- Goldroom, Gavin Turek, Kauf @ El Rey
DECISION:
It does seem like a quiet weekend, perhaps in anticipation of next weekend's Pasadena festival on Saturday. Still, there's The Singles at Origami Vinyl or the eclectic event at HM157 presented by City of Butterflies, who focus much needed attention of the crisis of our dwindling insect population and what can be done about it. With entertainment supplied by Jeffertitti's Nile, LA Witch, Dear Beloveds and Sock-Puppet Sitcom Theatre this will have something for everyone.
Sunday, June 1
- Grand Ole Echo w/ I See Hawks in LA, The Chapin Sisters, Jimmer, Ashleigh Flynn, Caitlin Anne Webster @ The Echo
- Moonchild, Madi Diaz, Pinot @ Bootleg HiFi
- Justin Abrams & BC, James Horbett, Bradford Loomis @ Hotel Cafe
- Nice Peter, The Jackpot Golden Boys @ The Troubadour
DECISION:
Grand day for a Grand Ole Echo with I See Hawks in LA and The Chapin Sisters along with a host of others this afternoon at The Echo.