Or maybe I should clarify… Get *Le* high.

So maybe you’ve seen those ads that vaguely suggest a human form suspended in a fog of splendor.  They usually have names like Zumanity and Ka and Mystere and The Beatles: Love.  I just know I couldn’t come up with any of those fancy show titles.  I also know that I could never do anything that those crazy Cirque people do… or could I?

Le Studio in Culver City offers classes in the aerial arts, including trapeze, lyra-hoop, silk, hammock, swing set, hand balancing, and contortion.  These classes are open to kids (age 3-15) and adults (16+), so all of our 3-year-old readers out there can finally get out on the town and get their aerobatics on!  I’ll tell you this, if at the tender age of 3, a contorted Marksy was able to suspend his body from ceilings, I would have had days worth of groundings for finding new ways to terrorize the adults in my life.   Ah, the free flying days of youth.

Regardless of how you plan to use these newly found powers of gravity manipulation, a great way to get a taste of what the program has to offer is by checking out their theatrical in-house performances.  This Friday & Saturday, they are hosting a scripted show called Re-Wired, a play that “takes a close look at the inner wirings of human beings and what makes them incapable of achieving their full potential.”

The show has genuine pro Cirque performers and if you have ever seen a Cirque show or ever wanted to see one, then this is a great opportunity to catch another performance or start down a new, amazing path of aerobatic discovery.

Buy tickets through their website.

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WHAT: Theatrical acrobatics!
WHEN: Friday, Aug 6 & Saturday, Aug 7 – 7:30 pm
WHERE: Le Studio, Culver City
$$$: $25

The Twilight Dance Series at the Santa Monica Pier is the most fun you will ever have ignoring a band. This is not to say that the bands aren’t worth your attention (track down Kokono #1, a Congolose dance-trance outfit that rocked the stage earlier this month.) But they’re up on the pier, and the real action is down in the sand…

As the sun sinks, the beach becomes checkerboarded with picnic blankets as revelers stake their claims. Sangria gets sipped from plastic cups; tendrils of sweet smoke drift past, hinting that your neighbors may be engaging in the deplorable practice of smoking marijuana; laughter flows. Unlike the Hollywood Bowl, where the sound-system overpowers conversation and the rows of seats provide a semblance of privacy, the Twilight series seems almost designed to help you meet the people around you. Pretty soon, you’re surrounded by no-longer-strangers and doing the merrily unsteady barefoot-in-the-sand dance.

This Thursday, they’ll be featuring Kailash Kher, an Indian pop-folk singer who fills stadiums back on his native subcontinent despite vaguely resembling the little brother in Spy Kids. It’s spacey, kick-off-your-shoes music, a nice fit for a setting lit by the lights of a ferris wheel. Get there early, the beach fills up quick.

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WHAT: Weekly concert series on the beach
WHEN: Thursday evenings, 7 pm
WHERE: The Santa Monica Pier
$$$: Free

The Venice Beach Carnevale will not be televised. Nor will it actually be held in Venice; apparently, tonight’s hedonistic costume contest/dance-party/annual gathering of LA’s freaky people has somehow gotten too insane for the uptight streets of Venice Beach and has been moved to a secret location around Jefferson/Sepulveda. (If this were a grindhouse movie, the announcer would now solemnly intone: “It‘s a party so wild they had to move it to Culver City… where life is cheap!”)

Ok, let’s take a step back and think about this for a moment — how, exactly, does one get kicked out of Venice? Have you been there lately? You could walk around with a severed head and tourists would still ask to take pictures with you. Last time I was hanging out on the boardwalk, a guy in a leopard-print vest and bootie-shorts tried to sell me some meth, as well as (I am not making this up), a live, 5-foot python. Anyway so now I’ve got all this meth and a live python and my friends no longer like to come over. Point that I’m making here, people, it takes a lot to get your ass 86′d from Venice Beach. This event deserves your consideration.

Will there be a full-size intergalactic pirate ship known as the Space Wench to gallivant around? There will be. Will there be floor-shaking beats from the likes of Fatfinger, Todd Spero, and divaDanielle (who I’ve pimped so many times on this site, people are are going to sooner or later think I’m involved in some kind of payola scheme?) Bet your ass. Will there be a masquerade costume contest that lands somewhere between Salvador Dali and Eyes Wide Shut? Most definitely. Will there be a certain amount of public nudity? Yes ma’am. Will there be acrobats and fire performers and go-go dancers? What do you think this is, the Republican National Convention? (Ok, bad example.) Just remember to come in costume — “exotic and erotic attire encouraged.”

And if you want to get in, RSVP here today to get the address and final details for tonight.

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WHAT: Carnevale masquerade party
WHEN: Saturday June 5th, 8:30 PM – 3:30 AM
WHERE: Culver City (RSVP to get address)
$$$: $15 (or $35 for VIP/open bar)

Apparently, the glee-club nerds grew up to be sexy.

Meet the Silverlake Chorus — a choir group described by its founding member Sam Rader as “warm-hearted Angelenos gathering to create harmonies aplenty while wearing oversized glasses and skinny jeans.” They’ve got no backing band, no choreographed dancing, no Broadway showboating  — but what they do have are lush, all-vocal covers of indie staples like Beck and Regina Spektor (and for all five of you who saw MacGruber, that was them singing the opening theme.) They’re making their splashy debut this Friday at El Cid. Good times are sure to be had by all.

Joining the plethora of talent onstage will be underground stalwarts Alex Lilly (Obi Best), Joaquin Pastor, Pi Jacobs and John Gold. Also performing (and producing their upcoming album) will be Ben Lee, the demon responsible for such Up-With-People-by-way-of-Guantamo-Bay atrocities as “I Love Pop Music”, and  “I’m A Woman Too.” This man needs to get got. However — we cannot hold that against the group at large. Get out to El Cid, people. Gleefulness awaits.

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WHAT: The Silverlake Chorus
WHEN: Friday, June 4th, 8 pm
WHERE: El Cid
$$$: $10

Because what’s more punk rock than romping around the notoriously kitschy redwood forest themed bar, Bigfoot Lodge? Hanging out in an alley contemplating disestablishmentarian notions you say? Poppycock! (Or perhaps you’ve simply become bored that your only other social options on Tuesdays are being stuck in Hollywood, pretending to be pretentious. Bleh! That’s not punk rock at all!)

Starting this Tuesday, Some Nerve, the new bi-weekly punk rock n’ roll themed night invites you to take a few hours off from your anarchy planning to go have fun dancing around with Smokey The Bear while drinking cheap Colt 45. They’re on special (when are they not?) along with other drinks sure to unleash your wilderness rock monster. The various music providers of the evening (commonly referred to as “DJs”) include Helleion, Jacob Safari, and TNT, along with the roaming photographic stylings of Shadowscene, so don’t forget to get that studded leather jacket and mohawk in tip top shape!

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WHAT: Some Nerve punk rock n’ roll party
WHEN: Tuesday, June 1st – 9pm – 2am
WHERE: The Bigfoot Lodge, 3172 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
$$$: Free!!!

Two years ago, a gang of spirited young hooligans armed with MP3 players invaded Mann’s Chinese Theater to hold a very public dance-party. The invasion started quietly, done in plain sight, everyone simply mingling and pretending to examine celebrity handprints outside… until 10:07 PM, when everyone busted out earphones like gunslingers in a Robert Rodriguez movie and danced their ass off to whatever was on their Ipod — a silent, joyous collision between flash-mob and discotheque. There was also a conga-line at one point.

Tourists were mystified. Employees were stymied. Security was unable to stop laughing, even as they escorted us out. Undeterred, the party continued, West Side Story-style, down to Hollywood and Highland, where street performers, celebrity impersonators, and random passerby joined in on the festivities. (A guest appearance was made by several stone-faced, video-camera-brandishing members of the LAPD.) Footage of all this epic-ness is available right here.

Anyway — this year, rather than hold our party at some Hollywood tourist trap, we’re instead going for a prized LA institution, something this city holds near and dear, a place where regular folks go to peacefully shop, dine and take trolley-rides. That’s right, kids: we’re gonna storm The Grove.

Meet-up point is in front of Pacific 14 Movie Theater, by the fountains. Get there by 10 PM. Come ready to boogie in public (do what you need to do here, guys.) Mingle, act normal, do not attract attention from civilians. Headphones go in at exactly 10:07 PM, and then we dance like lunatics until security shows us out, at which point we respectfully go find a new “dance floor” elsewhere and repeat.  Afterparty at The Kibitz Room bar at Canter’s.

RSVP on Facebook here.

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WHAT: Mobile Dance-Club Party
WHEN: Friday, June 18th — dancing starts at 10:07 PM, sharp
WHERE: The Grove, in front of movie theater
$$$: Free

Ok. So maybe I forgot to write this post yesterday because I was playing Risk. Can you really blame me? I didn’t think so.

PICK OF THE WEEK
Alright. This is going to be relatively short. When I heard Voxtrot’s first two EPs, Raised by Wolves and Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives, I was an instant fan. Any band writing solid songs that give off a Smiths vibe is going to impress me. A year or two later, they released their self titled LP, and while it wasn’t up to the caliber of those first two releases, it wasn’t that bad. They definitely had much greater potential, but with the pressure they were faced with from their instant success, they did the best they could. It wasn’t my favorite, but it did get me excited for future albums.

Well Voxtrot is breaking up. I’m not too happy about it, but it’s happening. They did, however, just embark on one last small 8 show tour that’s passing through LA on Thursday the 27th. I think we all owe them a good send off. I know these guys are all great musicians and are capable of great things. While I wish they stuck together and gave it another go, I’ll trust that this is the right decision and will look forward to their various other projects, like an opening band playing for Thursday’s show, The Black.

The bottom line is that we need to show the guys in Voxtrot that Los Angeles enjoyed their music over the last 5+ years. And if you just recently heard of them, now is your only chance, so make it count. Go crazy, have fun, and give them a night to remember.

OTHER SHOWS TO LOOK OUT FOR:
5/25: The Airborne Toxic Event and Amnesty International w/Red Cortez at the echo. 8:30PM. $30. All. (It’s a benefit show for the Neda Project.)
5/26: Nada Surf w/Telekinesis at the Troubadour. 8:00PM. $20. All. (I’m a pretty big fan of Telekinesis.)
5/26: Baths w/Poirier at Airliner. 10:00PM. $10. 21+. (Low End Theory.)
5/26: The Horse Thieves w/Jack Ladder//Moris Tepper//Amanda Jo Williams at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $5. 21+. (This should be a fun night of music.)
5/26: Dragonette w/Evan Voytas//White Arrows at the echo. 8:30PM. $12. 18+. (A dancy/chill night at the echo. I saw Evan Voytas a week or two ago and was pretty impressed.)
5/27: Spectrum w/The Meek//Cannoneers at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $12. 21+. (Kind of experimental. Also has some ex Spacemen 3 members.)
5/28: The Parson Red Heads w/Or The Whale//Olin and the Moon//Whispering Pines at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $7. 21+. (Don’t pass up an opportunity to see The Parson Red Heads.)
5/28: Frog Eyes w/Mount St. Helen’s Vietnam Band at the echo. 8:30PM. $12. 18+. (Carey Mercer’s band. Good stuff.)
5/28: Plants & Animals at Origami Vinyl. 6:00PM. Free. All. (Watch a live show, buy some records, and hang out.)
5/30: Miike Snow w/Canon Blue at El Rey. 8:00PM. $30. All. (Great live show. I’d be here if I were you.)
5/30: Dead Rock West//Funeral Club//Viki Hill//Tippy Canoe at the echo. 5:00PM. Free. All. (Grand Ole Echo.)
5/30: DJ Jose Maldonado at Smiths/Morrissey Nite at the echo. 10:00PM. $5. 18+. (Part Time Punks.)

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WHAT: Voxtrot Goodbye, Cruel World Tour
WHEN: Thursday, May 27th @ 8:30PM
WHERE: the echoplex
$$$: $15
Ages: 18+

There are way too many shows this week that could be featured. You should probably be out every night soaking in the wonderful musicians that all happen to be here at the same time. Some big names are sold out, but there’s still plenty to do. Most of me wants to write about the Frightened Rabbit show on Sunday, but…

PICK OF THE WEEK
I can’t honestly pick anything else this week other than Future Islands. This trio out of Baltimore has been around for about four or so years now and have just released their second album, In Evening Air, two weeks ago on Thrill Jockey. I heard the album a few months back and had enjoyed it, but now I can’t stop listening to it. I play it at least once a day.

Often associated with Wham City (the Baltimore collective made famous by Dan Deacon), these guys aren’t necessarily something you’d expect to see in a typical band. They don’t have a drummer or guitarist. It’s more or less a synth, keyboard, bass, and vocals. This minimalist approach doesn’t take away from the songs though, as they are all full and vibrant, and incredibly emotional. Singer Sam Herring’s voice is so soulful, he could make anything sound good. Think a poppy Tom Waits singing in kind of an 80s synthpop band. That’s Future Islands.

They’ll be playing Friday the 21st at Synchronicity and Saturday the 22nd at The Smell. And guess what! The show on Saturday is with our pals Superhumanoids! And Pizza!! I can’t really stress the potential awesomeness of seeing a show featuring Superhumanoids, Pizza! and Future Islands. It could be one of the best things you do all year. So you better do it.

OTHER SHOWS TO LOOK OUT FOR:
5/17: The Like w/Jail Weddings//Gestapo Khazi//Starfucker at the echo. 8:30PM. Free. 21+. (The Like continue their residency.)
5/17: Sweethead w/Earthlings?//Sean Wheeler and Zander Schloss//Red Fang at Spaceland. 8:30PM. Free. 21+. (More of the Sweethead residency.)
5/18: Jonathan Richman featuring Tommy Larkins at the smell. 9:00PM. $15. All. (You can’t really go wrong with Jonathan Richman.)
5/18: Rory Erickson w/Okkervil River at The Music Box. 8:00PM. $30. All. (This should be a good time.)
5/18: 60 Watt Kid w/Voicesvoices//Pizza!//Tan Dollar at the echo. 8:30PM. $5. 18+. (Good group of local acts.)
5/19: Caribou w/Toro y Moi//Dublab DJs at the El Rey. 8:00PM. $20. All. (The new Caribou album is wonderful.)
5/19: Baths residency at the Airliner. 10:00PM. $10. 18+. (Low End Theory.)
5/20: Massive Attack at the Wiltern. 7:00PM. $50. All. (The first two dates are sold out. There are still some tickets for this one.)
5/20: Shout Out Louds w/Freelance Whales//The Franks//DJ Daisy O’Dell at the El Rey. 8:00PM. $20. All. (Check out our friends The Franks play on the big stage. Fun!)
5/21: The National at the Wiltern. 8:00PM. $22-$30. All. (A lot of buzz around these guys after their new album.)
5/21: Shadow Shadow Shade at Bootleg. 10:00PM. $10. 21+. (Band formerly known as Afternoons.)
5/21: Shout Out Louds w/Freelance Whales//DJ Daisy O’Dell at the El Rey. 8:00PM. $20. All. (No Franks this time, but still a good time.)
5/21: The Drowning Men w/The Pity Party//The Franks//The Damn Sons at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $8. 21+. (Catch The Franks here if you missed em. The Pity Party is always a good act to catch too.)
5/22: Clem Snide w/Heliogoats at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $12. 21+. (I’m liking what I’m hearing of their new stuff.)
5/23: Frightened Rabbit at The Music Box. 7:00PM. $15. All. (They’re from Scotland. Anything else? They also make good music.)
5/23: Groovy Rednecks w/The Cheatin’ Kind//Robert Black at the echo. 5:00PM. Free. All. (Grand Ole Echo.)
5/23: Geneva Jacuzzi w/Soft Metals at the echo. 10:00PM. $5. 18+. (Part Time Punks.)

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WHAT: Future Islands
WHEN: Friday, May 21st @ 8:00PM (with Foot Village, Robedoor, and Lower Dens) and Saturday, May 22nd @ 9:00PM (with Pizza!, Superhumanoids, and Lower Dens)
WHERE: Friday is at Synchronicity and Saturday is at the smell
$$$: Friday is either free or $5. Saturday is $5.
Ages: All

The Shangri La Hotel in Santa Monica has been keeping secrets from us. For years, its hidden rooftop bar, Suite 700, was only open to guests; this was, of course, back at a time when people had “money” to do things like “stay in hotels” and “not eat sandwiches made of actual sand.” (Apparently, the place had an outdoor group shower going on for a while, a prospect which made me wonder if Joe Francis had secretly incorporated the hotel into his empire of douchery.)  No matter — as of this week, Suite 700 has thrown open its doors to the unwashed masses.

The inside is nothing special — obscured color-lights, “Miami Vice” bad-guy furnishings, half-decade old Justin Timberlake songs pumping on the stereo, short-backed chairs that make you so uncomfortable they could have been designed by Andy Kaufman, a halfway decent dirty martini – but the outside deck is the joint’s saving grace.

Go at sunset and you get a gorgeous view of the coast, with Ocean Ave traffic slowly melting into the ant-like procession up the PCH.  Go after dark and watch the neon-flashing rungs of the Santa Monica Ferris Wheel glow like a distant dance-party.  The wood-burning fire pit will send you home smelling like a campfire, lending the whole experience an “Entourage meets Boy Scout Camp” kind of feel.  (Now there is a show I would watch, mainly to confirm certain suspicions I have about men in their 30’s who still live together.)

Suite 700: more fun than watching The 700 Club while high.

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WHAT: Rooftop bar in Santa Monica
WHEN: 5 – Midnight, 7 days a week (later on weekends)
WHERE: Shangri La Hotel
$$$: Between $8 and $10 a drink

If ever you’ve wondered what would happen should the coy, kittenish call of the feminine psyche were exposed, and displayed; pulled and prodded in every which way, screws and nails sent to do the dirty work of holding it all together, today (errrr…tomorrow) is your lucky day.

Edgar Varela Fine Arts has a new home and, true to their audacious nature, are opening with a bang.   Ashley Gibbons’ Coquettish Modernisms is, by words of the artist: “…a soft space with fabric to provoke hard dialogue…to explore issues of sex, intimacy, female form, function, style, and gender roles.” Layers upon layers of these intimate menageries (aka: panties!) are revealed to “…highlight and personify the dichotomy of a woman’s role”, while also “convey(ing) mood, priority, and function to the individual woman.”

In simple terms: frilly fantasy and modern individualism have collided into something you can admire, talk about, and buy while mingling with other hot-headed artistic types such as yourself.  Oh, and there will be wine.  The yummy, organic, FREE (my favorite!) kind.

Exhibiting a mix of established as well as up-and-coming artists, you might know EVFA from their previous location (just a hop, skip, and a jump from the Little Tokyo Arts District), if not for their creatively imposed art/music-related events.  With years of expertise and a natural flair for knowing what people want, visiting EVFA means you are just as likely to run across a scruffy Eastsider you’ve seen play the El Rey as you are the CEO of an entertainment company.  Either way, you will meet those you would like to meet again, listen to music you wish you could Shazam, and be surrounded by artwork you may just be able to rationalize purchasing with this month’s rent money.

Be there or be square.

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WHAT: Coquettish Modernisms by Ashley Gibbons
WHEN: Wednesday, May 12th, 5pm-9pm
WHERE: Edgar Varela Fine Arts: 102 W. 5th Street, LA 90013
$$$: FREE (But…bring your rent money, just in case)

Do you ever find yourself getting nostalgic for stuff that never happened to you?  Be honest — when the song “American Woman” by The Guess Who comes on your car radio, do you imagine yourself in 1971, cruising along in a t-top Camaro with summer winds blowing through your feathered hair? Do you watch Mad Men and secretly long for a day when it was appropriate to drink multiple martinis at work? Ever seen an old gangster flick and then wondered about the logistics of buying a Tommy-gun? (Spoiler alert: they’re legal!)

If you answered “yes” to any of those, have I got the place for you: The Cicada Club, a frozen-in-time throwback to the swing era, situated in the art-deco sumptuousness of the Oviatt Building on Olive St. This place has a 1940’s ambiance so all consuming, it renders time machines obsolete.

Originally built, according to the website, in 1928 as a “top-of-the-line haberdashery” (no doubt the envy of all those other wack-ass haberdasheries frontin’ up in the 213 at the time), the club features live big-band music every Sunday night, a sprung-wood floor populated by some of the most graceful swing-dancers you’ll ever lay eyes on, and a gin menu that could make W.C. Fields weep in ecstasy. (They also do a fixed-price dinner, but it’s A: reportedly not that great, B: overpriced at $50 per person, and C: requires you to interact with the Cicada waiters, who I generally found to be grouchy ass-clowns.)

My advice: skip the food, grab a sloe-gin fizz, and find someone to swing with. It doesn’t matter if you’re any good; I have houseplants that are better dancers than some of the people out on that floor. (In fact, some of those people’s names rhyme with “Me.”) But that’s the wonderful thing about this place — it’s utterly egalitarian. The crowd ranges from early 20’s to late 60’s; black guys in Andre 3000 outfits rub shoulders with white dudes in pin-stripe suits and Asian girls in evening gowns. Even the 12-piece orchestra is delightfully all over the map, featuring someone who looks like a well-fed old rabbi on the bass, a young fella in a do-rag on the clarinet, a heart-stoppingly beautiful redhead trumpet player, and a Morgan Freeman lookalike for a front-man who I believe possesses the most genuinely joyful smile I’ve ever seen on a human being.

Keep in mind: the other thing that truly unites the crowd (besides a love of all things post-war) is the dress code. Cicada Club requires a jacket/tie/dress shoes for guys and evening gowns for gals — dress like you were going to The Edison, in other words. And remember, the next time you find yourself wishing you were alive in an era when the drinks were two-fisted, the music was big, the dames were classy and the guys were… well, off fighting Hitler for the most part — this is the place you come.

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WHAT: Ultra-immersive 1940’s swing-dancing club
WHEN: Sunday nights, 6PM – 11 PM
WHERE: 617 South Olive Street
$$$: $10’s at the door, $8-$12 a drink

Anyone go to First Fridays last week? How bout Mono, or any other concerts? Let us know!

PICK OF THE WEEK
Not many people seem to know of The Besnard Lakes, which is a shame. We can change this, however, when we all see them at the Troubadour this Thursday along with LA indie rockers Happy Hollows.

I was fortunate enough to see The Besnard Lakes at SXSW, and I can attest to their awesomeness. Like a lot of other dream rock/shoegaze bands out there today, they bring more of a wall of sound vibe to their live shows. The melodies and guitar solos and all that are still there, but live, they are louder and generally more noisy. This provides for a great live experience, as you’re getting the best of both worlds. The loudness coupled with their Beach Boysesque vocal harmonizing results in some pretty great music. Another way to describe the band is to tell you they’re from Montreal. While they aren’t as crazy as some of the other bands to come form that scene, it should give you a general idea of the kind of music we’re dealing with.

Opening for The Besnard Lakes are the lovely Happy Hollows, a band you should all show up early for. I’ve seen them a couple times around town and they always give it their all. Singer/guitarist Sarah Negahdari puts an incredible amount of energy into each song, smiling all the way through. They’re kind of a guitar-driven indie rock band that like to have fun at their shows. You couldn’t ask for much more. So check them and The Besnard Lakes out Thursday night. What a fun night out!

OTHER SHOWS TO LOOK OUT FOR:
5/10: The Like w/The New Fidelity//Bloodbath at the echo. 8:30PM. Free. 21+. (The Like begin their residency.)
5/10: Sweethead w/Ashes Divide//Normandie//Dead White Underbelly at Spaceland. 8:30Pm. Free. 21+. (It’s the Sweethead album release party.)
5/11: Fuck Buttons w/Sun Araw//Infinite Body at the Troubadour. 8:00PM. $15. All. (I’ve heard Fuck Buttons are great live.)
5/12: Evan Voytas w/Bell Gardens//Superhumaniods at the echo. 8:30PM. $7. 18+. (Superhumanoids! If they have a show, you know it’s gonna be on here.)
5/12-13: Ben Folds w/Kate Miller-Heidke at the Music Box. 8:00PM. $35. All. (It’s Ben Folds. Click here for the 12th and here for the 13th.)
5/13: Ninjasonik w/Weave! at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $10. 21+. (Interesting punkish hip hop music. Think The Death Set.)
5/13: Jakob Dylan & Three Legs at the Wiltern. 8:00PM. $25-$45. All. (Interesting new band for Dylan, featuring Neko Case.)
5/14: Turin Breaks w/Hard Drugs//Lucy Schwartz at the echo. 8:30PM. $10. 18+. (It’s an acoustic set.)
5/14: Flying Lotus w/Ras G//Samiyam//Dr. Strangeloop//Kutmah//Jeremiah Jae at the echoplex. 9:00PM. $20. 18+. (Flying Lotus is great live. And his new album is blowing up.)
5/15: Annuals w/The Most Serene Republic//What Laura Says at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $12. 21+. (A bunch of great bands.)
5/15: Flying Lotus w/Ravi Coltrane//The Gaslamp Killer//Gonjasufi//Matthewdavid at the echoplex. 9:00PM. $20. 18+. (Pick your day. I feel this will be more crowded thanks to Gaslamp.)
5/16: Sea Wolf at The Autry. 7:30PM. $15. All. (Guess Spaceland Productions is putting on a show at The Autry Museum.)
5/16: Xeno & Oaklander//Epee Du Bois//Frank Alpine at the echo. 10:00PM. $8. 18+. (Part Time Punks.)

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WHAT: The Besnard Lakes w/The Happy Hollows
WHEN: Thursday, May 13th @ 8:00PM
WHERE: Troubadour
$$$: $12
Ages: All

Summer is right around the corner. That doesn’t have much to do with concerts, but I thought I’d mention it. When the sun goes down and you’re rested from a long, relaxing day at the beach, why not check out some live music?

PICK OF THE WEEK
Initially, I started this post with a blurb about how the pick should have been tonight’s sold out Broken Social Scene show at The Music Box or First Fridays with The Tallest Man on Earth (which is also kind of sold out). As I wrote about “the alternative”, however, I realized it actually was a better pick than either of those. So here’s your legitimate pick of the week; a show I definitely don’t think you want to miss.

Post rock is an interesting genre helmed by bands like Sigur Ros, the newly reunited Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Mogwai. I am a fan of the music as it relaxes me and is pleasing to the ear, but I’ve never been to a live show. The genre is characterized by noisy and melodic, (mostly)instrumental rock music. Not sure how that translates to the live show, but I promise a good place to find out is Friday night at the El Rey with Japanese post rock band Mono.

They’ve been around since 1999 and have released five studio albums, giving them a pretty large catalogue to check out if you’re curious. Even with all the albums under their belt, they consider themselves more of a live band and attempt to create an “unforgettable” live performance at shows. Their music is influenced by various musical styles, from shoegaze to minimalism to classical. Listening to their 10-15 minute long tracks puts you in a kind of trance, with fast paced, noisy ups and slow, melodic downs. I can’t imagine the emotions brought out by the live versions. That is reason enough to be there Friday. Fortunately, that isn’t all you’re in store for.

Opening for the post rock band are the indie rockers from Glasgow, The Twilight Sad. With Scottish bands like Frightened Rabbit and We Were Promised Jetpacks popping up lately, The Twilight Sad have gotten kind of mixed in with the crowd. In my opinion, these guys are the best out of that ’scene’. Lead singer James Graham describes their sound as “folk with layers of noise”. The recordings have a dreamy/indie rock vibe with layer upon layer of sound and a singer with a heavy Scottish accent. Their live shows, however, are supposed to be noisier and create that wall of sound you get with other noise/shoegaze bands. Go early and see these guys play.

You’re in for a pretty fun night at this concert. You’re getting two international bands known for their intense live shows at the same place. Bring some friends, drink some Scotch, and maybe even wear some earplugs.

OTHER SHOWS TO LOOK OUT FOR:
5/03: Sweethead w/The Damn Sons at Spaceland. 8:30PM. Free. 21+. (The start of the Sweethead residency. Something a little different.)
5/03: War Tapes w/Dimmer//Jack Ladder//Future Ghost at Silverlake Lounge. 8:30PM. Free. 21+. (War Tapes begin their residency.)
5/04: Broken Social Scene at Amoeba Hollywood. 6:00PM. Free. All. (If you don’t have tickets to their Monday night show, this could be fun. You have to show up EARLY though.)
5/04: Oh Darling w/Actress//Dirt Bird at Spaceland. 8:30PM. Free. 21+. (Fun indie rock. And it’s free!)
5/05: Pacha Massive w/Wait. Think. Fast.//Clorofila at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $10. 21+. (I’m a fan of Wait. Think. Fast. Party time!)
5/05: Dosh w/White Hinterland//The Baths at the echo. 8:30PM. $10. 18+. (Never seen Dosh solo, but his albums are great and he rocks out supporting Andrew Bird.)
5/05: Eluvium w/Bell Gardens//Benoit Pioulard//Whale Fall at Bootleg. 8:00PM. $10. 21+.
5/06: Flying Lotus at Amoeba Hollywood. 7:00PM. Free. All. (Saw this guy not too long ago and was blown away.)
5/06: Spirit Vine w/Hocus Pocus//My Pet Saddle//Roughed Up Folk at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $5. 21+. (Good local lineup.)
5/06: Spindrift w/Nurses//Magic Mirror at the echo. 8:30PM. $8. 18+. (Spindrift have an interesting, western sound.)
5/07: The Janks w/Veil Era//Fim//Woolen at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $8. 21+. (Come check out some friends play some good music.)
5/07: The Tallest Man on Earth at Natural History Museum. 5:00PM. $15-$40. All. (I think tickets to the show are sold out. You can still get in if you buy an annual pass though.)
5/08: Warpait w/Priestbird at Bootleg. 10:00PM. $10. 21+. (Go see Warpaint.)
5/08: Los Campesinos! w/Signals at the El Rey. 8:00PM. $22. All. (Fun British band. Apparently if you bring your mom you get in free?)
5/09: Les Savy Fav w/We Barbarians//LA Ghost at echoplex. 8:30PM. $18. 18+. (I’ve heard amazing things about the Les Savy Fav live show.)
5/09: Dave Gleason and the Golden Cadillacs w/Mojo Monkeys//The Coals at the echo. 5:00PM. Free. All. (Grand Ole Echo.)

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WHAT: Mono w/Twilight Sad
WHEN: Friday, May 7th @ 8:00PM
WHERE: The El Rey
$$$: $20
Ages: All

I missed last weeks write up. Too much Coachella left me with no choice but to take a sick day. I’m back though, and while there aren’t too many shows this week, there are enough to get excited about.

PICK OF THE WEEK

The Antlers/Phantogram show that’s at the Troubadour this Friday was supposed to be the pick of the week, but it sold out. I expected to buy myself a ticket before I started writing, but that didn’t happen either. If you’re going to this show I’m incredibly jealous. If you’re not and want to, try to scalp a ticket. I might try, as Hospice (the latest Antlers album) is one of my favorite albums in forever and Phantogram puts on too good of a live show to miss. That being said, however, Avi Buffalo does have a record release show at the same venue the next night.

Since 2008, I’ve probably seen him/the band (Avi happens to be the singer/songwriter who formed a band with the same name) a minimum of  6 times. I’ve been to residencies at the echo, solo acoustic shows, and even in Austin for SXSW. What I’m trying to say is, this band is good. They haven’t had an official label release, and yet they keep drawing people back over and over. Avi just has a knack for writing really special pop songs, without compromising his desire to rock out from time to time. The band is probably one of the youngest out there (they’re seniors or just graduated high school) but that doesn’t get in the way of their success. After a few years of wowing the Los Angeles area, they signed to Sub Pop and now have their first record ready for release. The show on Saturday at the Troubadour is a celebration of this accomplishment.

To get a glimpse into what Avi brings to the table, he learned to play guitar with the help of various classic blues guitarists in Long Beach and WIlco’s Nels Cline (lead guitarist) is one of his major inspirations. Watching him shred away at a guitar physically bigger than him is something everyone needs to see at least once. He channels some other force, causing him to twitch and shake while his fingers manage to create unbelievable sounds. Avi isn’t the only good part of the band though, as he has surrounded himself with friends who happen to be great musicians in their own right. The album comes out tomorrow the 27th, so go out and get your copy, give it a few listens, then watch it all unfold live on Saturday.

OTHER SHOWS TO LOOK OUT FOR:
4/26: Waking Sleep w/Radar Bros//Obi Best//The Henry Clay People at the echo. 8:30PM. Free. 21+. (The last night of Waking Sleep’s residency. They’re going out with a bang with some big names. It’ll be tough getting in, but it’ll be well worth it.)
4/26: Helen Stellar w/Repeater//Robotanists//Fictionist at Spaceland. 8:30PM. Free. 21+. (Last of Helen Stellar’s residency.)
4/26: So Many Wizards w/Tomorrow Tulips//The Fling//Hotel St. George at Silverlake Lounge. 9:00PM. Free. 21+. (Another residency coming to an end.)
4/27: Dr. Dog w/Deer Tick//Pepi Ginsberg at The Music Box. 8:00PM. $20. All. (You can’t really go wrong with Dr. Dog.)
4/27: Juliette Lewis w/Tahiti Boy and Palmtree Family//22-20s at the echo. 8:30PM. $10. 18+. (This could be interesting..)
4/27: Whispertown w/Chasing Kings//All Wrong and the Plans Change//Tod Wisenbaker at Silverlake Lounge. 9:00PM. $8. 21+. (Been a fan of Whispertown since I saw em play with The Elected a while back.)
4/28: Aquaserge w/Sister Crayon//Corridor//Casper and the Cookies at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $8. 21+. (Aquaserge features members of Stereolab and Acid Mothers Temple.)
4/29: Lemon Sun w/Leopold and his Fiction//Red Arrow Messenger at the echo. 8:30PM. $10. 18+. (Solid indie rock.)
4/29: Dante Vs. Zombies w/Woah Hunx//Apes of Wrath at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $5. 21+. (They dress up, put on a fun show, and make good garagy/catchy music. Good enough for me.)
4/29: Rouge Wave w/Man/Miracle//JBM at the El Rey. 8:00PM. $18.50. All. (Rouge Wave is a nice, mellow band.)
4/30: Nite Jewel w/Sugar & Gold//Luxxury at the echo. 8:00PM. $10. 18+. (Nite Jewel is great.)
4/30: Growing w/Eric Copeland//Bipolar Bear//Cyber Grind at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $10. 21+. (Noise rock!)
5/1: Nico Stai w/Shadow Shadow Shade//The Black Apples at Bootleg. 9:00PM. $10. 21+. (All great bands. Nico Stai was real fun when I saw em in Austin.)
5/1: No Age w/Growing//Eric Copeland//White Shit at Eagle Rock Center for the Arts. 8:00PM. $10. All. (It’s essentially Friday’s show with..No Age. Nice.)
5/1: The Ponys w/Disappears//Christmas Island at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $10. 21+. (Pretty good punk music.)
5/1: Big Whup w/Pizza!//60-Watt Kid//So Many Wizards at the smell. 9:00PM. $5. All. (Solid lineup of local bands, with some real nice people mixed in.)
5/2: Solid Gold w/Marvelous Toy//22-20s//Jacques Baraban at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $10. 21+. (Solid Gold is a mellow, electro/indie band. You would like em.)
5/2: Title Tracks w/Voxhaul Broadcast//Catwalk at the echo. 10:00PM. $8. 18+. (Part Time Punks.)
5/2: Old Californio w/Pauls Chesne Band//The Believers at the echo. 5:00PM. Free. All. (Grand Ole Echo.)

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WHAT: Avi Buffalo Record Release Show
WHEN: Saturday, May 1st @ 8:00PM
WHERE: Troubadour
$$$: $12
Ages: All

Culver City is decadent and depraved! Well, no, that’s not entirely true, it’s actually kind of New Jersey suburb-ish and really rather pleasant… but on May 8th, there’s an underground festival going on that will set those earlier words in stone. That’s when the Mystikal Misfits, a hardy tribe of LA-based Burning Man fanatics, are throwing COLLECTION! – a dance party that promises such high levels of giddy debauchery, anyone who hopes to someday have a political career should avoid getting photographed there.

There will be mysterious cocktails.  There will be fire-dancing. There will be adorable, scantily-clad boys and girls running around in “Mad Max” gear and neon fur.  There will be a giant Twister board, for those of you who need a socially acceptable reason to get in compromising positions with aforementioned adorables. There will be amazing house and electro DJ’s, headlined by DivaDanielle tag-teaming with Todd Spero, spinning the kind of beats that will later have your doctor admonishing you to include less funkiness in your diet. There will be an aromatherapy booth, and classy dames selling cigarettes (not in the aromatherapy booth.) It’s being held at Mission Control, adjacent to Jefferson Ave and the 405, the exact building address of which is being kept under wraps until the night of the party — RSVP on the Facebook page to get all the details.

Culver City will never know what hit it.

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WHAT: Underground Burning Man dance party
WHEN: Saturday, May 8th, 9PM – 4 AM
WHERE: Mission Control
$$$: $15

Are you already feeling nostalgic for The Specials’ triumphant comeback performance at Coachella last weekend (or are one of those poor souls who missed it entirely, because you couldn’t afford a ticket/had other plans/were actually at Coachella but were busy having a mescaline-fueled existential meltdown inside a Port-a-John?)  Fear not — because Friday nights at La Cita are all about the Punky Reggae Party.  Housed in slow-slung joint with brothel-like lighting and arguably the sweatiest dance floor in downtown, La Cita’s weekend start-up shindig is where you go when you want to unashamedly skank to some Madness, Fishbone, The Sex Pistols, Sister Nancy, and of course, our dearly reunited Specials.  If the word “penance” can be used in relation to anything this much fun, consider it penance for all those terrible third-wave ska-punk albums you bought in the mid-90’s. (Get there early, this place fills up fast.)

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WHAT: Punky Reggae Party
WHEN: Friday Nights, 9 PM-2 AM
WHERE: La Cita
$$$: Free before 11 PM, $5 after

You’ve been staring at that little box on your calendar that reads “Sunday, April 25th” with a wish in your heart that just keeps nagging for an excuse to break out that can of aqua net, glitter tights, and those fun vintage 80’s clothes lurking in your closet that you haven’t quite had the nerve for yet. Taint that pure churchy glow that you were prancing around all day with by going to La Cita downtown for Erotic City! This week they’re having a live performance from Josie Cotton who will be performing her classics from the Valley Girl soundtrack along with some new material. Every week they have $3 brew, $4 well drink specials and entry is free, but be sure to RSVP.

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WHAT: Erotic City with Josie Cotton
WHEN: Sunday, April 25, 9:30pm – 2am
WHERE: La Cita Bar, 336 Hill Street, DTLA 90013
$$$: FREE all night long

For those of you who have given up on trying to figure out the difference between freak-folk and acid-folk, and now turn to music blogs for your daily recommendations, we here at BoredLA have something for you.  Blondes is an up-and-coming, Brooklyn-based electronic duo that is starting to gain some notoriety on the ol’ information superhighway.  Powered by Sam Haar and Zach Steinman (both brown-haired, oddly), this band sprinkles chilled-out melodies over analog techno beats to produce something spacey, atmospheric, and pleasing to the ears.

Blondes have two things going on for us Angelenos this week.  This Wednesday (the 21st), they will play DJ set at The Mountain Bar in Chinatown.  After that, on Thursday (the 22nd) they will play a live show at Synchronicity Space with Lucky Dragons and VoicesVoices.  See the flyer for more info.

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WHAT: Blondes playing music
WHEN: Wednesday, April 21st and Thursday, April 22nd
WHERE: The Mountain Bar and Synchronicity Space
$$$: No cover charge at the Mountain Bar, Synchronicity Space is $5

This Sunday (TONIGHT, love), whether you are attempting a rather leisurely comedown from the weekend desert madness or, rather, to make up for the fact that you may have just missed the best concert of your life, rest assured, I have just the cure.

Guaranteeing the latest of Vampire Weekend greatness, Miike Snow remixes, and a few oldies, but goodies (Joy Division-style), the completely FREE White Bunny Disco event is invading (the upstairs lounge of) the Mountain Bar in the best way possible.  Just south of your eastsider roots, park easily on Broadway or Hill and follow the red paper lanterns to feng shui central (aka: Gin Ling Way).

Situated within one of Chinatown’s oldest restaurant-turned watering holes, expect ladies & gents exhibiting a diverse mix of artistic fanfare, original and reasonably-priced drinks (heavy pour alert!), dancing delight inspired by resident djs Knyfeprty and J Man, and only the best in party photographers to, naturally, capture it all on film.  Beware of the melting walls, possible restroom confusion (“G” is for gentlemen, NOT girls, yo), and be sure to end the night respectively with some walnut shrimp at the night-owl friendly Full House Chinese Restaurant (open ‘til 3am), located just within stumbling distance.

See?   Bunnies after Easter really aren’t a faux pas after all.

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WHAT: White Bunny Disco
WHEN: THIS Sunday, April 18th 10pm-2am
WHERE: 475 Gin Ling Way (& Bamboo Lane) in Chinatown
$$$: FREE all night long

I know Coachella should be the pick of the week. I’m going, and hopefully you are too. But if you are going, you probably already know why. If you’re not, well what the hell should you be doing this weekend? There’s plenty going on all week, including the weekend, and this is a blog about LA, so why not something local as the pick of the week?

PICK OF THE WEEK
Saturday, April 17th is Record Store Day. It’s an event started a few years ago to celebrate independent record stores around the world. Stores all over are going to have live music and events lined up for the celebration, along with many limited vinyl releases made exclusively for the day. There are a few different records stores in the city, but head over to Origami Vinyl in Echo Park to see some bands, buy some music, and have an all around good time.

The store opens at 10:00AM for those of you looking for that rare release. Check their blog the day before for the list of records they’re getting and show up early to shop. Things are very limited, especially since it’s a small store, so you don’t want to miss out on that 69 Love Songs box set or limited edition Blur single (I don’t even know if they’ll have those. They’re just two of the many things I want.).

At 2:00PM, after you’ve emptied your wallet and then some on cool reissues and limited singles, the music kicks off. The bands set to play are: Dum Dum Girls, Male Bonding, One AM Radio, Adam Harding, and Lou Barlow + The Missing Men. Lou Barlow will definitely be headlining (I mean..Dinosaur Jr.), but I’m not sure of the official order or times. You’ll be there early enough to figure things out though. Neil and Sean are friendly guys so don’t feel shy to get there and chat it up until the music begins. You’ll even get some free beer out of the deal (if you’re 21 or older, of course).

The guys have obviously put a great lineup together for the festivities. Dum Dum Girls are a buzz band with a poppy, melodic yet garagy sound. The One AM Radio is kind of a straightforward electro influenced indie pop band out of Los Feliz and Adam Harding is a director/sound guy who will be playing his first show in ten years. Male Bonding come from London with a kind of DIY/lo-fi approach to music. They’re definitely the louder, more aggressive band playing. And any talk of lo-fi has to  include Lou Barlow, one of the genre’s pioneers. He’ll be playing his newer stuff with the help of Mike Watt’s band, The Missingmen. That sounds like a pretty fun time to me.

I’ve been to a few events at Origami in the past, including their one year birthday a few weeks ago and they really know how to party. I’d be there all day if it didn’t coincide with Coachella. So if you’re in the city, go for me and tell me how great it was!

OTHER SHOWS TO LOOK OUT FOR:
4/12: Hellen Stellar w/The Postelles//The Constellations//Healamonster & Tarsier at Spaceland. 8:30PM. Free. 21+. (Second night of the Hellen Stellar residency. Heard good things about last week.)
4/12: Walking Sleep w/Union Line//Goldenboy//Big Whup at the echo. 8:30PM. Free. 21+. (Second night for the Walking Sleep residency. I saw these guys last week and they’re pretty fun.)
4/12: Crystal Castles w/Health//DJ Paul V at echoplex. 9:00PM. $23. 18+. (Some people hate this band and a lot of others love em. I’m a fan and wish I was going.)
4/12: So Many Wizards w/Halloween Swim Team//Corridor//Lobstin at Silverlake Lounge. 8:00PM. Free. 21+. (Second night for So Many Wizards residency. Good lineup of local acts.)
4/12: Seaspin w/Dios//Damn Sons//The Franks at Hotel Cafe. 9:00PM. $7. 21+. (Go early for The Franks and stay late for Seaspin.)
4/13: Public Image Ltd. at Club Nokia. 7:30PM. $42. All. (It’s not cheap, but it’s PiL.)
4/13: Retribution Gospel Choir w/Funeral Club//Stevenson Ranch Davidians at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $10. 21+. (Side project from members of Low. It’s more upbeat. And I caught a little of Stevenson last week and was into it.)
4/14: The Ruby Sons w/Toro y Moi//Pepper Rabbit at the echo. 8:30PM. $10. 18+. (Some buzz bands here. I’m interested to see what The Ruby Sons have to offer. Toro y Moi was unimpressive at SXSW, for me at least.)
4/14: Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs w/The Hi-Hos//Shirley Rolls at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $14. 21+. (Good bluesy folk music.)
4/14: Deerhunter w/Special guests at The Glass House. 8:00PM. $12. All. (I don’t usually recommend shows in Pomona, but it’s Deerhunter. And with Coachella right around the corner, who knows who the special guests could be.)
4/15: Pavement w/The Middle East at The Fox Theater Pomona. 8:00PM. $39. All. (Another Pomona show, but it’s Pavement! And The Middle East are a great band too.)
4/15: Willowz w/Mini Mansions//Lionize//Phathoms at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $8. 21+. (I’ve been wanting to check out Mini Mansions.)
4/15: We Are The World w/Sir Heffington’s Fingered at the echo. 8:30PM. $8. 18+. (Seriously. If you haven’t seen this. Do it. It’s the last one.)
4/16-18: Coachella at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. All day Fri-Sun. (You know..)
4/16: Autolux w/Franz Nicolay at Bootleg Theater. 10:00PM. $12. All. (It’s Autolux!)
4/16: Micachu DJ set at the echo. 9:00PM. $10. 18+. (I’ll bet she can DJ just as well as she can make music.)
4/16: Mark Sultan w/The Black Apples//Dirt Dress//Wounded Lion at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $10. 21+. (Sultan is kind of a legend in garage rock. The other bands are pretty good too.)
4/17: JJ w/Deloreon//Bachelorette at echoplex. 8:30PM. $14. 18+. (More buzz bands. A few friends saw JJ at SXSW and were disappointed.)
4/17: Radar Brothers w/Timonium//Nopal//Young Hunting at echo curio. 9:00PM. $5. All. (It would be cool to see Radar Brothers at echo curio. Packed, but cool.)
4/18: Love is All w/Weave!//Love Grenades at the echo. 10:00PM. $10. 18+. (Part Time Punks.)
4/18: Dum Dum Girls w/Ramona from Nite Jewel//Tan Dollar at echo curio. 8:00PM. $5. All. (In case you missed em on Saturday, which you shouldn’t.)

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WHAT: Record Store Day at Origami Vinyl
WHEN: Saturday, April 17th @ 10:00AM till close
WHERE: Origami Vinyl
$$$: Free! (And free beer to those 21+)
Ages: All.