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TICKETS ON SALE SATURDAY
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| IDAHO FALLS
Thu. Jan. 21
@ Spaceland
| | | | Record Release Show
“Featuring a line-up that includes former side-men for Black Eyed Peas, Mojave 3, Hope Sandoval, Cake and the Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Idaho Falls seamlessly mix the sound of California country pop with psychedelia and spaced out noise.” - The Los Angeles Times
“8 out of 10 stars. God, I love this record in so many ways. That a band have managed to independently release an album that's so beautiful to look at and hold is a feat in itself... It's an album that screams out to be listened to, and fortunately, this time around at least, you really can judge the book by its cover.” - Americana U.K.
“4 out of 5 stars. Setting a standard for today's country-fied indie bands.” - All Music Guide | | LISTEN
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RED CORTEZ The music of Red Cortez is a puree of punk, bosa nova, blues, soul and rock 'n' roll. They bounce between frantic, hurried rock songs to gorgeous blues melodies with unparalleled expertise.
OLD CALIFORNIO Unlike many revivalists, Old Californio also seem to understand that jamming was a fundamental component of the sound and whilst they don't quite provide a psychedelic maelstrom, there are tantalising hints on songs such as 'Warmth of the Sun' or 'Lazy Old San Gabriels'. | |
TICKETS AT DOOR | | | JEMINA PEARL
Fri. Jan. 25
@ Echo
| | | | Echo & Club Underground present
In Pearl's world, there's black and white-- and maybe some red. Things that suck get what they deserve, whether they're asshole fans, jerky boyfriends, or simply the notion of growing up. She's an old-school punk in that there's little pretense; she thrashes about onstage because she wants to and not because she thinks it looks cool. According to her Ecstatic Peace label head (and Break It Up guest guitarist/vocalist) Thurston Moore, she's not "out to impress anybody; she [is] just kicking total ass." He should know. As far as ass-kicking goes, there's plenty of it here. Nearly every song is marked with a rough-edged riff from another era, whether it be surf, garage, or girl group. And Pearl's guttural wail is intact. But there are no straight-up, minute-long goofs, and instead of raging on about pitch-perfect nonsense and suburban malaise, Pearl often turns inward. The self-reflection can be reassuring, as on the fizzy, Dave Sitek-assisted Gemini ode "Ecstatic Appeal", or deeply troubling, as on the laborious downer "Retrograde", where voices in the back of Pearl's mind tell her to "go on, cut a little bit deeper, see how far we can go." Pitchfork | | LISTEN
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PURCHASE TICKETS | |
| REVEREND
PEYTON'S BIG
DAMN BAND
Wed. Jan. 27
@ Echo
| | | | Echo & Grand Ole Echo present
Well, they're not that big, but they make a damn big sound: featuring the burly, bearded Reverend Peyton on steel resonator guitar and guttural vocal bark – a sort of backwoods Brian Blessed – with his wife Breezy on washboard and his kid brother Jayme on drums, the band bring to their retro-fabricated rootsy Americana an utterly gripping compulsion. Peyton employs a dervish blend of thrashed chords, bustling fingerpicking and slashing slide interjections, but it's the post-modern manner of his material that really sets them apart. Alongside food-themed cuts such as "Mama's Fried Potatoes" and testaments to the rambling life like "Worn Out Shoe", are songs which apply antique, vintage treatments to starkly modern concerns, corporate greed "Wal-Mart Killed The Country Store" to the health-insurance anxiety of "Can't Pay The Bill". Even that time-honoured blues staple, the fishing song, gets a dystopian makeover in "The Creeks Are All Bad", with Peyton advising anglers to throw back their catch "'cause there's PCBs in the catfish, and mercury in the bass". But there's room for a glint of humour too, as in the trailer-park scenario sketched in "Your Cousin's On Cops". The Independent | | LISTEN WATCH
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THE DONKEYS There's a little Dylan lurking in these bones, there's some old country and there's some sick melodies that can actually punctuate. | |
PURCHASE TICKETS | | |
FRUIT BATS
Thu. Jan. 28
@ Echoplex
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Fruit Bats were greeted by a very house when they hit the stage. They opened with a song from 2005's Spelled in Bones, “Canyon Girl”, and then played a few newer songs, but not before bandleader Eric Johnson asked for permission first, saying “We'll play some old shit, I promise” and joking that they would “play all four albums in a row, plus a mystery album of your choosing.” After a solid set of newer songs (some of which they also performed during KEXP's Bay Area broadcast), they pulled out a few revamped classics, such as “Seaweed” (with added harmonica) and “The Little Acorn.” They followed up with a few more new songs that were equally impressive. Behind Eric Johnson's distinctive voice, a change in style was prevalent in the new music. Although he never gives up the band's signature pop and twang elements, the songs were a bit more sprawling and mined a similar vein of classic rock as Grand Archives and before that Neil Young. Fruit Bats finished with a couple of classics, including “The Rainbow Sign” and “When U Love Somebody.” It was a great show, and we're looking forward to the next time Fruit Bats hit town... and to the new album we hope to see later this year! KEXP | | LISTEN WATCH
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CITAY Citay's source is the sweet California folk/pop/rock sound of the 70's, and with an excess of fashion-heavy, irony laden bands around these days, it's nice to hear something earnest.
EXTRA CLASSIC
DJ TURQUOISE WISDOM | |
PURCHASE TICKETS | |
| FISHTANK
ENSEMBLE
Thu. Jan. 28
@ Spaceland
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The LA Weekly calls them “cross pollinated gypsy music.... one of the most thrilling young acts on the planet.” Formed in 2005 and playing everywhere from the hippest LA clubs to festivals, cultural centers, museums, parades, and even on the street, the band includes two explosive violins, the world's best slap bass player, musical saw, flamenco and gypsy jazz guitar, trombone, opera, jazz and gypsy vocals, accordion and one little banjolele. Tackling everything from French hot jazz to wild Serbian and Transylvanian gypsy anthems, Flamenco, and oddball originals, the band is a not to be missed event for world music lovers...and everyone will love this intoxicating mix of music! | | LISTEN
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DIEGO'S UMBRELLA Diego's Umbrella has prided itself on melting together a mish-mash of world influences into a surprisingly modern sound. The band's instrumentation includes a fiddle and accordion and at times their product is that of a wandering Eastern-European band of minstrels who were abducted by flamenco masters | |
TICKETS AT DOOR | | |
OUT 4 BLOOD
Fri. Jan. 29
@ Echoplex
| | | | Rum & Humble, Echo & KCRW present A night featuring artists from the TRUE BLOOD soundtrack
The Grammy-nominated ‘True Blood' soundtrack comes alive in a night of music from HBO's acclaimed series at the Echoplex on January 29. Reflecting the present-day Southern Gothic atmosphere portrayed onscreen, the soundtrack's haunting song selections lean toward a large helping of roots-oriented, swamp-flooded, Louisiana-influenced sounds; performed by contemporary and classic practitioners of the genre. Gary Calamar, music supervisor for ‘True Blood,' says “I am thrilled that we are able to pull together some of the amazing artists who are on the ‘True Blood' soundtrack for this very special show. And.... we are trying to secure some surprise guests as well. It's going to be badass !” Out 4 Blood is made possible in part with generous support from Louisiana Entertainment and proudly recognizes Louisiana's Year of the Song, celebrating the historic contribution of the state's songs and songwriters. | |
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JOHN DOE
CC ADCOCK
JACE EVERETT
and more! | |
PURCHASE TICKETS | |
| BOWERBIRDS
Sat. Jan. 30
@ Echo
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On Bowerbirds' 2007 debut, Hymns For A Dark Horse, the coupled-up North Carolina duo spun folksy tunes and gypsy rags about the wonders of nature, which made sense—the record was made with singer Phil Moore and accordionist Beth Tacular living in an Airstream trailer in the woods, building themselves a cabin between band practices. Just as fittingly, Bowerbirds' sophomore LP, Upper Air, is a more intimate affair that finds the pair well nestled in a spare-but-sound set of songs. Bowerbirds benefit from a more-is-less dynamic musically, as well. Moore and Tacular break out organ, piano, autoharp, violin, and upright bass, among other instruments (not to mention a killer boy-girl harmony), but all in a successful effort to arrive at a simpler, more measured sound epitomized by the soulful jangler “Northern Lights” and the delicate surge of “Teeth.” Upper Air is a comely album through and through, and certainly one of this year's high-water marks for the acoustically inclined. The Onion AV Club | | LISTEN WATCH
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JULIE DOIRON After the brief “The Life of Dreams”, in which Doiron's voice and guitar are abetted only by a soundtrack of field recorded bird songs, the album launches into the Squire-penned “Spill Yer Lungs”, whose plugged-in power chords lurch uncannily like Black Sabbath. | |
PURCHASE TICKETS | | | NOMO
Wed. Feb. 3
@ Spaceland
| | | | Club NME
On last year's Ghost Rock, NOMO established their own brand of future funk, built on hypnotic grooves comprised of drums and a huge collection of electrified, homemade likembes and scrap metal. The horn section, once the thundering heart of the band, took on a different role, settling into spaced-out dialogue with the rhythms-- leader Elliot Bergman's more conversational horn charts recalled Charles Mingus and Sun Ra in their perfectly pitched balance between structure and disorder. Invisible Cities serves as something of a breath-catching moment for a band that's taken a giant leap on each of its albums, bringing some of the thunder back while further elaborating on the progress made on Ghost Rock. Invisible Cities is the exact record NOMO needed to make at the point in their evolution. It consolidates all their gains and nicely sums up their output to this point, and as much as you can point to influences and basic kinship with other artists, the music NOMO are now making is very much their own thing. NOMO's facility with both rhythm and tunefulness also makes it easy to follow them as they head down their own path. If you've come this far with the group, Invisible Cities won't disappoint, and it's also a pretty great place to start. LA Record | | LISTEN WATCH
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ORGONE Orgone recalls acts like Fela Kuti, Trouble Funk, and War, but with a heavy dose of disco, as on Killion's "Dialed Up," where the deep groove and diva vocals are so authentic, they could be samples. | |
PURCHASE TICKETS | |
| DAEDELUS
Fri. Feb. 5
@ Echoplex
| | | | Alfred "Daedelus" Darlington is a proponent of Edwardian dandyism for the Internet age, and his electronic whimsy has been influenced equally by Coldcut's chopped-up beats and Bernard Herrmann's orchestral Vertigo. But on Love to Make Music To, the L.A. producer unveils a nocturnal soundtrack toughened up by booty bass ("My Beau"), hardcore techno (the astringent "Hrs:Mins: Secs"), and coked-out club rap (the slurry "Touchtone" with Paperboy and Sa-Ra's Taz). Daedelus' furious stylistic shifts are engrossing (if challenging), and when he closes the album with the glowing predawn ballad "You're the One," it sounds like hard-won catharsis. Spin.com | | LISTEN WATCH
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NOSAJ THING Nosaj Thing is now, without a doubt, among L.A.'s finest musical modulators. His electronic soundscapes and wild beat tectonics play like vignettes that affect the listener's mind as deeply as he hits their soul.
JOGGER Jogger is prepping their first full length This Great Pressure for Daedelus' new Magical Properties imprint and if “In America” is any indication, it'll be a harmonious, genre-busting, ADHD-exacerbant* full of bleeps and strum. | |
PURCHASE TICKETS | | | SCOTT H BIRAM
Sat. Feb. 6
@ Spaceland
| | | | Amped sounds of a mad trucker crab broke open Scott H. Biram's Bloodshot Records' sophomore sticker, Graveyard Shift (see "Texas Platters," July 21, 2006), but the bruised heart of "Lost Case of Being Found" and "Santa Fe" uncovered disarming vulnerability. Something's Wrong/Lost Forever, platter six for the local one-man wrecker, opens on the institutional dementia of "Hospital Escape," which sets up the Fat Possum transistor blues of "Time Flies" ("when you're going down slow"). Yet it's the organ-lacquered strum of "Sinkin' Down" that records Biram's secret specialty: down-on-your-luck rubberneck-ability. "Still Drunk, Still Crazy, Still Blue," organ-coated as well, constitutes authentic outlaw melancholy from George Jones to Merle Haggard. "Draggin' Down the Line" leaves a trail equally obvious, and electric-hewn solo "Wildside" could dominate the quartet. Biram's lonesome soul approaches the authenticity of the Black Keys/Dan Auerbach, not forgetting harp carburetors ("Ain't It a Shame"), foot-stomps ("Hard Time"), or field-holler closer "Go Down Ol' Hannah." Graveyard Shift brought annunciation; Something's Wrong/Lost Forever responds with coalescence. Austin Chronicle | | LISTEN WATCH
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THE DIRT DAUBERS Colonel JD Wilkes (of Th Legendary Shack*Shakers), along with his wife Jessica and long-time friend 'Slow' Layne Hendrickson, make up the hillbilly / hokum trio The Dirt Daubers. Hailing from western Kentucky, these three caterwaulin hooologans sing loud and proud an eclectic mix of Appalachian, ragtime, and hot jazz standards and original music. | |
PURCHASE TICKETS | |
| JAMES LAVELLE
Sat. Feb. 13
@ Echoplex
| | | | Its been a long five years since UNKLEs James Lavelle released his second mix album for GU from Romania. It followed his series debut from Barcelona, which was hailed at the time as one of the finest and most timeless albums to come out of Global Underground in years. James of course has been busy touring the world with his band UNKLE and releasing artist albums to critical acclaim while continuing to tour the world as an international DJ. His new mix album, in our opinion, is his best mix album to date! Bangkok was the chosen city, selected for its vibrant nightlife and multi-cultural party scene. The album is due for release 27th July 2009. On Bangkok, James has put together an electronic sonic soundscape that is his most eclectic yet, it features exclusive tracks and remixes from UNKLE themselves plus the likes of Radiohead, Radio Slave, Carl Craig, James Holden, Doves, Layo & Bushwacka, X-Press2, Innervisions (Henrik Schwarz / Ame / Dixon Feat Derrick Carter), School of Seven Bells, Nathan Fake, Evil Nine, Mystery Jets, Fergie and Animal Collective plus many more. NME | | LISTEN WATCH
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PURCHASE TICKETS | | | THE STRANGE BOYS
Fri. Feb. 26
@ Echo
| | | | With an expanded line-up featuring Seth Densham and Jenna Thornhill of Mika Miko and Darker My Love's Tim Presley, Texas's Strange Boys look to ever so slightly build upon the roots-garage template they've constructed over the course of several singles and an excellent debut full-length on In the Red. The Boys have an uncanny ability to internalize a host of increasingly ancient (the ‘60s will turn fifty this year mind you) pop and rock sub-sub-genres and make them sound utterly vibrant in the messed up times of now. And based on the title track/first single, the new auxiliary members seem to have picked up the band's groove quite handily. Prefix | | LISTEN WATCH
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CHAIN AND THE GANG On Down with Liberty..., Svenonius and his (mysterious) gang churn out yet more groovy, bare-bones funk over which Svenonius waxes crypto-political and meta-textual.
NEVEREVER | |
PURCHASE TICKETS | |
| Echo Myspace AtTheEcho.com Spaceland Myspace ClubSpaceland.com |
| SPACELAND IS LOOKING FOR INTERNS! We are looking for web savvy marketing interns for the Spring semester. Applicants must have a passion for music, basic computer skills, attention to detail, experience with social networking sites, knowledge of the local music scene and venues, and be able to commit to at least 2 days a week in the office. Knowledge of photoshop, html, or prior booking experience is definitely a plus. Internship is for college credit only.
Please send cover letter, resume, and your 5 favorite bands to blast@spaceland.tv |
| UPCOMING SHOWS
EVERY MONDAY IN JANUARY @ SPACELAND - YEAR LONG DISASTER RESIDENCY
EVERY MONDAY IN JANUARY @ ECHO - THE FRENCH SEMESTER
EVERY TUESDAY IN JANUARY @ ECHO - OLIN AND THE MOON
1/16 @ Echo - AA Bondy / Nik Freitas / Willy Mason (early show)
1/16 @ Spaceland - Hockey / Asa Ransom / Eastern Conference Champions
1/16 @ Echo - Funky Sole with Special guest J.Rocc
1/17 @ Spaceland - Hell Ya! presents Adam Franklin and The Bolts of Melody / Rabbits / The Arms
1/17 @ Echo – Part Time Punks with Yummy Fur / Neverever
1/18 @ Spaceland - Year Long Diasater / Imaad Wasif / Gasoline Angels / The Kris Special
1/18 @ Echo - The French Semester / Moving Picture Show / Light FM / Downtown/Union
1/19 @ Spaceland - Hotrats / Lemon Sun
1/19 @ Echo - Olin and The Moon / Dusty Rhodes & The River Band
1/20 @ Spaceland - Club NME with Har Mar Superstar / Neon Trees / Little Red Radio
1/20 @ Echo - The Ettes / The Blood Arm / Heavy Young Heathens
1/21 @ Echo - Music Go Music / Wounded Lion
1/21 @ Echoplex - Down & Derby Roller Disco
1/22 @ Spaceland - Movits / The Blasting Company
1/24 @ Spaceland - The Minor Canon / Rademacher / Andrew Lynch / Quiet Americans
1/26 @ Spaceland - Summer Darling / By Sunlight / Vanaprasta / Shiloe
1/28 @ Echo - The Parson Red Heads / The Chapin Sisters / Social Studies / All Spots to Black
1/29 @ Spaceland - Spaceland & ArjanWrites.com present Superfraiche featuring V V Brown / Reni Lane / Love Grenades / Scott Simons
1/30 @ Spaceland - Nico Stai / Voxhaul Broadcast / Yikes! A Lion / Fences
2/11 @ Echo - Grand Ole Echo presents Justin Townes Earle / Joe Pug
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| RECENTLY ANNOUNCED Mondays in February @ Spaceland - PRINCETON
2/2, 2/9 & 2/16 @ Spaceland – MIA DOI TODD
2/4, 2/11 & 2/18 @ Spaceland – IMAAD WASIF
2/4 @ Echo - THELONIOUS MONSTER / DOGWEED / HORSE THIEVES / XANDER SCHLOSS
2/5 @ Echo - Club Underground with EBONY BONES
2/16 @ Echoplex - Mardis Gras party with OLLIN
3/4 @ Echoplex - LESLIE & THE LYS
3/18 @ Echo - XIU XIU / TUNE YARDS / NOVELLER
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| WIN TICKETS!
FRUIT BATS @ Echoplex Jan 28 (18+)
NOMO @ Spaceland Feb 3 (21+)
Be one of the first to respond to blast@spaceland.tv and get hooked up with a pair of tickets to the show of your choice (you must pick one from the two listed above). In the subject of your email response please put the band name of the show you want to attend. Be sure to include your full name in the email.
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