The Monday Show Low Down (Or "It's Just Like Staring Into The Sun")

So, yeah. Tomorrow night is the first of Radio Free Silver Lake’s Let’s Independent monthly events at Boardner’s in Hollywood and I’m pretty goddamn excited about it.

I made up the line-up based on local acts who I think are completely fantastic and I really couldn’t be happier how it’s turned out. I’d love to see any of these bands play on their own, but together? It’s going to be amazing.

Opening up the night will be The Western States Motel, a summery pop band who I’ve been addicted to since frontman Carl Jordan first sent me his myspace link earlier this year. I’ve been an evangelist for them ever since and it’s been great to hear more and more people talking about them lately.

Here’s an interview I did with The Western States Motel back in July: “I love being out in the desert for sure, and definitely get a lot of inspiration from any sort of uninhabited expanse.”

Going on second are Ship Collective act Great Northern, who according to The LA Times just signed a recording contract with Eenie Meanie Records, which also have Irving on their roster. Great Northern recently opened up for Sea Wolf at Spaceland and they were so damn good, they basically destroyed the place.

Here’s an interview I did with Great Northern back in April: “We talked about doing music together for a long time, and then he gave me the tapes and I loved all of it. From there, we would each record separately and pass the tapes back and forth from 4-track to 4-track.”

And then headlining the night are local legends The Movies. They just have to be seen to be believed. Nothing I can tell you will prepare you.

Here’s a piece I wrote on The Movies after visiting them in their studio back in May: “People want to be recognized, they have to make art to do that. How else am I going to be recognized? Maybe do some stand-up comedy... Maybe be a place-kicker in the NFL...”

[Self-serving disclaimer: When I wrote all of these pieces, I never knew we’d be hosting this night. And the purpose of it is really to spotlight great bands and have a fun time, just like this site, not make lots of monies.]

And while this is all going on in Boardner’s stage, we’ll have DJs EGROEG and Eyad will be spinning tunes in the huge front club area.

Hope you can make it and help support these great bands and the site. Be sure to come early at 9:00 to see The Western States Motel play!

But enough about us, the rest of this week is full of interesting activities for people who like the music. You could literally go out every night this week and still miss some great bands. Here are some highlights.

Tonight is the last night of the much-loved Sea Wolf’s free Monday night residencies at Spaceland, while KXLU favorites The Sharp Ease also wrap up their free night at The Echo. Meanwhile Canada’s Junior Boys will make people dance over at The Troubadour and there’s a Sean Lennon album release party over at Star Shoes.

Besides our event on Tuesday night, there’s The Strokes and Tom Petty at The Hollywood Bowl; Snow Patrol, The Duke Spirit, and Augustana play The Wiltern; and The Oohlas have their record release party at Cinespace.

On Wednesday night, Snow Patrol, The Duke Spirit, and Augustana return for a second night at The Wiltern.

On Thursday, there are too many choices to believe. Wolfmother and Pink Mountaintops are The Paladium, Grizzly Bear will play Spaceland, M Ward and Mike Watt team up at The Henry Fonda, and Rogue Wave and Foreign Born perform at Safari Sam’s.

Friday night, Lavender Diamond appear at The Getty Center, Starsailor and Peter Walker all play The Troubadour.

On Saturday, Beware of Safety perform at The Cocaine at Live Jazz; Starsailor and Peter Walker return to The Troubadour; We Are Scientists, Art Brut, and The Spinto Band play The Henry Fonda; Viva Voce and The Silversun Pickups explode The Echo, and Mojave 3 wow The Roxy.

Then wrapping up the week are The Pink Mountaintops at The Echo and Yeah Yeah Yeahs at The Palladium.

Whew…

The following bands have also recently announced shows for LA: Tigers Can Bite You, Let’s Go Sailing, Midnight Movies, Cold War Kids, The 88, The Oohlas, You Say Party We Say Die, Matmos, Bettie Serveert, Kite Flying Society, The Deadly Syndrome, and Pink Mochi. (See the right-hand column for dates and venues.)