Little Radio Summer Camp This Sunday: Thailand, The Switch, & Xu Xu Fang

You really ought to make it out to Little Radio Summer Camp at Little Radio's downtown warehouse this Sunday...

I mean, there's fun in the sun outside with a mini-waterslide, a pool, a vegan BBQ, and plenty of deck chairs and fun out of the sun inside the warehouse with three excellent local bands: Thailand, The Switch, and Xu Xu Fang.

It's ten bucks for the 21+ set (includes drinks), runs from noon to six (the bands start around three), and I'll be DJing the early side of the event again.

So, come out to The Echo on Saturday night for Radars to the Sky & friends, then head over to Little Radio on Sunday afternoon... That's seven great bands in two days.

Band of the Week: Light FM

I’m not sure if Light FM is a pop band that’s not afraid to rock or a rock band that’s in love with pop, but the effects are largely the same: nice, loud music to make you hop around.

They’re beginning a Monday night free residency at The Silver Lake Lounge next week, which looks something like this:

- July 2 w/ Rademacher, Alex Kemp, & El Olio Wolof
- July 9 w/ Icebird, Saint Motel, & Peter Walker
- July 16 w/ Versa Vice, Yes Me To Death, & Tigers Can Bite You
- July 23 w/ The Amateurs, The Pulsars, & ARP
- July 30 w/ Owl Owl and TBA

With line-ups like that (never miss Rademacher), it looks like multiple visits are in order.

DOWNLOAD:
- Stormtrooper MP3
- 16 Below MP3

Free Tickets For Radars To The Sky, The Henry Clay People, Molecules, & Tigers Can Bite You

So, yeah. We're presenting a show this Saturday night with KXLU 88.9 FM and Rock Insider at The Echo with Radars to the Sky, The Henry Clay People, Tigers Can Bite You, and Molecules. Doors are at eight, it's 18+, and it runs $7 -- or $5 if you print out and bring this flyer.

We've got some giveaways for the event, as well. Five lucky RFSL readers will win a gift pack containing a pair of tickets and CDs from all four bands. (At least, all four if Tigers Can Bite You have their album ready for release. I need to check...) Just write us here with your full name to be entered in the drawing.

Here are links to some previous coverage (often w/ MP3s) that we've done on all the bands playing the night:

Radars To The Sky
"To realize that music could be so big and momentous and intricate and creative and raw and powerful and, well, rocking, without resorting to any of the cliches or lazy songwriting of metal or grunge that was dominant at the time was really a revelation." CLICK FOR MORE

The Henry Clay People
"Rock and roll music is best heard live. So much manipulation takes place in recording so it's generally refreshing to see through all the smoke and mirrors. I think you get a way better sense of what the band is about... for better or worse." CLICK FOR MORE

Molecules
"There are so many people playing music and doing it well that it's hard to be visible - when you live in a small town and you play in a band, you're special. In LA, unless you have something really different, people look at you and go - yeah, boring. And they go out to smoke a cigarette." CLICK FOR MORE

Tigers Can Bite You
"The band was originally called janmichaelvincent, but Sammy hated the name. We all tried coming up with new names, but it wasn't until Dave posted a picture of a tiger biting a shark on MySpace with a caption that said "Tigers Can Bite You," that we decided that would be the new name." CLICK FOR MORE

Pics From Let's Independent! w/ Bedroom Walls, Tandemoro, & Frankel

As the title of this post might suggest, here are some pics (and a guerilla video) from last Tuesday's show at Boardner's with Bedroom Walls, Tandemoro, and Frankel. When Ric Ocasek said, "Let the good times roll," he was talking about that night...













You can read reviews of the show w/ more pics at Rock Insider and LAist -- and if you're quick, there are still songs from all three bands to down load over here. (Hurry b/c we'll be announcing the line-up for the next event there sometime this weekend...)

Tuesday New Releases: Ryan Adams, Bad Brains, & Frank Black

Last night's show with Frankel, Tandemoro, and Bedroom Walls at Boardner's was so fun, it was almost painful. Many thanks to everyone who attended and played and promoted it! More pics and posts soon, once I catch back up from it all...

Here's a quick look at some of the new albums out in stores all over this land:

Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
Bad Brains - Build A Nation
Beastie Boys - The Mix-Up
Begushkin - Nightly Things
Frank Black - 93-03
Nick Lowe - At My Age
Nels Cline Singers - Draw Breath
Colleen - Les Ondes Silencieuses

FREE Show Of Note Tonight: Bedroom Walls, Tandemoro, & Frankel

Hey! I don't want to hard sell you too overly much on our Let's Independent! show at Boardner's tonight but you really ought to go. I mean, it's FREE and I know how you love fun and all. (And just look how cool this flyer turned out... It's all like "Are You There, God? It's Me, Let's Independent!")

Here's some previous coverage, videos, and MP3s for all the bands who are playing:

Bedroom Walls
"Romanticore is like emo for people who aren't retarded. Just kidding. You can be retarded and still like us. But seriously...when we started out, there weren't too many bands in L.A. playing quiet, pretty songs. This might seem hard to believe now that you can't swing a dead cat in Echo Park without hitting 10 bands who wear their sensitivity on their sleeves, but it's true."
CLICK FOR MORE

DOWNLOAD: In Anticipation Of Your Suicide MP3





Tandemoro
"People couldn't always see the cameras, so they would walk by and see us in these dream-like spaceman/alien suits thinking we're just some bizarre performance artists so they walked by all fast and nervous, which was the exact opposite of what we were going for, we wanted to get people going and lead big groups around downtown, but everyone basically ran away when they say us coming and security would come out." CLICK FOR MORE

DOWNLOAD: Patch of Luck MP3
DOWNLOAD: Lock Your Doors MP3





Frankel
Jesus christ superstar, but I swear I did an interview with Frankel's Michael Orendy to coincide with the recent release of his cd Lullaby for the Passerby, but it looks like I just wrote a band of the week article gushing about how much I loved his Chatterbox EP. (Note: An interview is due soon.)
CLICK FOR MORE

DOWNLOAD: The Antidote MP3

The Monday Show Low Down (Or “I’m In Love With The Stars Up Above Your House”)

This Tuesday night, our monthly Let’s Independent! event returns to Boardner’s in Hollywood to once again spotlight some of the best independent acts here in Los Angeles...

This time, the focus is a little more firmly on pop music, with Frankel (who just released a great album produced by Earlimart’s Aaron Espinoza), upbeat pop merchants Tandemoro (who share many of the same members as The Western States Motel), and sad-happy/happy-sad pop (w/ glockenspiel) act Bedroom Walls.

If you’ve heard all of them play before, you know what a great collection of bands we've been lucky enough to put together. If you haven’t, look at it as a way to hear some excellent new music. (Warning: Side effects include minor heart explosions.)

It’s a FREE night, so you can support local music just by showing up, but it’s also promising to be extremely fun. The event regularly attracts a pretty fantastic crowd of folks and is more of a party celebrating our rad local music scene. (I’ve found there’s a cheap parking structure a half-block north on Cherokee, by the way.)

So, in short? You should come out. For more info and to download MP3s from all three bands, go right here.

Now, let’s take a look at the rest of the week:

Monday, June 25
- The Deadly Syndrome, Brothers and Sisters, & Canada @ Spaceland (FREE)
- Thailand, Radars to the Sky (acoustic), Fast Computers, & Blue Skies For Black Hearts @ The Silver Lake Lounge (FREE)
- Burning Brides, Qui. Sabertooth Tiger, & Alarma @ The Echo (FREE)
- Health, The Mae Shi, Abe Vigoda, & Beach Balls @ Pehrspace
- Pussy Cow, Suckerstar, & Lightnin Bill Woodcock @ The Scene (FREE)
- The Automatic (UK), The Adored, & The Red Hearts @ The Viper Room
- Eagle & Talon @ The Troubadour (FREE)
- Xavier Rudd @ The El Rey
- Teddy's Cheer Club, The Autumns, & Hong Kong Six @ Detroit Bar (Costa Mesa)
- Dead Science, Implied Violence, & Holy Curtain @ The Smell
- The Mae Shi, Health, Abe Vigoda, & Upsilon Acrux @ Pehrspace

DECISION:
It’s the last Monday of the month, so your last chance to catch one of the great free residencies – Thailand or The Deadly Syndrome are my favorites. But further sweetening the pot over at The Silver Lake Lounge is the fact that Radars to the Sky will be performing an acoustic set before Thailand plays.

Or you could also catch Eagle & Talon’s free show over at The Troubadour. Last time I saw them play was pretty amazing.

Tuesday, June 26
- Radio Free Silver Lake Presents Let’s Independent! w/ Frankel, Tandemoro, & Bedroom Walls @ Boardner’s of Hollywood (FREE)
- Emma Burgess @ The Standard Downtown
- The Weather Underground, The Key Party, & Canada (Quite Scientific) @ The Silver Lake Lounge
- Woman’s Worth, Barfer?, Moment Trigger, & Rose For Bohdan @ The Smell
- Trainwreck Riders, Black Diamond Heavies, & Tim Seely (of The Actual Tigers) @ Spaceland
- Funeral For A Friend @ The Troubadour
- Audrye Sessions, Telephone, Day One Symphony, & IO Perry @ The Echo
- The Slighted, Haunted George, & Funeral Director @ The Scene
- The National & The Broken West @ The El Rey

DECISION:
(Um, see above or something.)

Wednesday, June 27
- Two Gallants & Les Claypool @ The Henry Fonda
- Maximo Park @ The El Rey
- Dub Club Presents The Ethiopians & The Maytones backed by The Expanders @ Echoplex
- Clark 8, Hazelden, & Cossack @ The Scene
- 8mm @ Molly Malone’s
- The Dirty Dozen Brass Band @ The Troubadour
- Jessica Fichot, Lightbreak, Evan Way, & Vince Dynamic @ Bordello
- Austin James Band, Princeton, Sumo, & Veltexans @ The Silver Lake Lounge
- Indie 103.1 Presents CLUB NME w/ The Sunday Drivers & Strata @ Spaceland
- Les Claypool @ The Henry Fonda

DECISION:
I’ve only heard a little bit of French singer Jessica Fichot and orchestral pop outfit Austin James Band, but I’m pretty curious about catching both live. (Unfortunately that requires having to be at two places at one time…)

Thursday, June 28
- Xu Xu Fang Record Release Party w/ Secretary Bird @ The Echo
- The Album Leaf @ The El Rey
- Low End Theory w/ Free Moral Agents & The Grouch @ Echoplex
- Fortune’s Flesh, Geisha Girls, Victim Vision, & The Open Mic-ers @ The Scene
- Castledoor, Gran Ronde, Marie Digby, & Holly Marilyn @ The Silver Lake Lounge
- Zach Steel @ Canter's Kibitz Room
- Peculiar Pretzelmen & Nevenka @ Bordello
- Monsters Are Waiting, David Lowering, Mellodrone, & Meho Plaza @ The Roxy
- The Locust & The Mae Shi @ The Troubadour
- The Mooney Suzuki, The Photo Atlas, & The War Tapes @ Spaceland

DECISION:
There are definitely some solid choices for Thursday night… Castledoor, The Album Leaf, or Monsters Are Waiting would all be great to see, but I’m definitely heading to psych rock act Xu Xu Fang’s record release event over at The Echo.

Friday, June 29
- The Veils, The Comas, & Asher @ Spaceland
- I Make This Sound, Cave Singers, Lightning Dust, & Softboiled Eggies @ El Cid
- As Tall As Lions, Army of Me, & Low Vs Diamond @ The Knitting Factory
- The Mormons, Rocking Horse People, The Dirty City Brothers, & The Fresas @ The Scene
- Boom Pam, Bev & Anna, & Plus David Green @ The Echo
- Club Underground @ The Echoplex
- Deep jew, Raccoo-oo-oon, Foot Village, Binges, & Tent City @ The Smell
- Joy Shannon & The Beauty Marks @ Pehrspace
- Grizzly Bear & Feist @ The Wiltern

DECISION:
I'd love to catch Grizzly Bear and Feist over at The Wiltern, but, man, those tickets seem pricey after all the free or under $10 nights this week...

Saturday, June 30
- Rock Insider, KXLU, and RFSL Present: Radars to The Sky, Tigers Can Bite You, The Henry Clay People, & Molecules @ The Echo
- The Donnas, Donita Sparks & The Binges @ Safari Sam’s
- The Red Hearts, Epsilons (Record Release Party!), Thee Makeout Party!, & The Babes @ The Smell
- Old River School, Loyal Sons & Daughters, & Mr. Sunshine & The Family Band @ Pehrspace
- Year Long Disaster, Open Hand, & The Solace Brothers @ Spaceland
- 69 Eyes @ The El Rey
- Widower & TBA @ The Scene
- Sam Sparro, The Good Listeners, Driveblind (Acoustic), & Julian Brody @ Bordello
- Moving Units @ The Henry Fonda
- Ghost Kings, Flashing Red Lights, & Wendy Atkinson @ Tangier
- Battles @ The Troubadour

DECISION:
Besides our night at Boardner’s on Tuesday this week, we’re also co-presenting an event at The Echo on Saturday with great local music site Rock Insider and great local music station KXLU with great local music acts Radars to the Sky, Tigers Can Bite You, The Henry Clay People, and Molecules.

I can easily say that I’ve enjoyed seeing all of these bands play live separately on their own. Together? [Explosion sound.]

Sunday, July 1
- Little Radio Summer Camp w/ TBA @ The Little Radio Downtown Warehouse
- The Northern Two & The Devils Romantics @ The Eagle Rock Bowling & Drinking Club at All-Star Lanes
- Part Time Punks w/ Lemonade & Fool’s Gold @ The Echo
- Merle Jagger, Bucksworth, & Sweet Crude Bill @ Spaceland
- Mark MacMinn, Cobra Lillies, & Tenions Fort @ The Scene (FREE)
- The Black Angels @ The Troubadour

DECISION:
I’m teh biased towards Little Radio Summer Camp because I get to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon in the shade either djing or reading a book while sipping margaritas. The fact that there are several bands on inside is a nice bonus… (I’m not sure who is playing on Sunday yet, but will find out soon.)

Then at night, there’s The Devils Romantics at The Eagle Rock Bowling & Drinking Club and The Black Angels at The Troubadour. Decisions, decisions…

That’s it! Did I miss anything? Please let me know.

Sea Level Records Going-Away Party Tonight!

Here's a final reminder... You HAVE to come out tonight to Safari Sam's to help see off Sea Level Records -- which is closing down next week -- with style. On hand will be the area's best and brightest, which includes Division Day, The Switch, and a buncha charmer DJs.

We'll be very sad to see the place go. As practically every LA music blog has written in the last week, it's been THE place to go to find out about great new bands.

The folks at Sea Level Records have been incredibly supportive of the local music scene, so let's all show our support tonight and raise a glass or sixty in their honor.

Mini-Interview: Molecules

Some people might call what the rock band Molecules do pretentious...

I mean, ask them about their inspirations and they'll talk about Camus, Pynchon, and Zorn or delve into existentialism, musical exploration, and science. More art name checks than in a conversation with you average pop act, sure.

But I've always thought that it's not pretension if you back it up, and they do, with -- what I said about their album 23 Factory Slaves -- "a recipe for success involves harmonizing male and female vocals, heavy use of organ, samples from old news broadcasts, and almost psychedelic moments of pure jamming."

To paraphrase Ian MacKaye, at least they're fucking trying.

So, I asked husband/wife members of the band Nikolai Goodich and Guylaine Vivarat a volley of questions about a number of different topics. Here's how it turned out.

Who are Molecules? What are you all about?

Guylaine: Molecules is mainly Nikolai and I with our friend Julian Woolsey on bass. We have gone through many band members, drummers especially...

Nikolai: We are an amalgam of syncretic psycho-social behaviors culminating in an audio sequence within which we wantonly express our neurological desires for a post-utopian alternative social schema.

How did the band start up?

Nikolai: I have been a band 'leader'/singer.songwriter.guitariste since 1989 and this formation has been extant since 2001 or so... The beginning was Don Bolles (The Germs, 45 Grave ) asking to join the 'band' he heard rehearsing one night...

Guylaine: Nikolai and I actually met through one of those "looking for musicians" ads - we didn't start making music right away but it eventually happened - then we had Don Bolles with us for a while, which was a wild ride and we've never been the same ever since!

How has it changed over the years?

Nikolai: Don quit. We have had at least 15 drummers whom we ate and spit back... We fired a guitarist. We recorded a great record (23 Factory Slaves). We fired a bass player. We got an old friend on bass.

Why "Molecules"?

Guylaine: The idea that we are all part of the same song, molecules inside a sonic entity.

Nikolai: It’s the word for the substrata of materials that all we know of is composed...

And did I hear you have to deal with a name change?

Guylaine: Yes, some San Francisco band called The Molecules is hassling us to change the name so we probably will, just so they shut up!

They've been around since the 1990s, they're a Mike Patton-sounding band and I guess they have a small cult following - ironically, especially in France.

They got really mad at us when we played in San Francisco - whatever!

Nikolai: We shall play a few shows as DESTRUCTO...

What's it like being in a band with a spouse?

Guylaine: Hmm, let's see... Hell?

Nikolai: Bliss... sorrow... joy... visceral pain... amazing... difficult... sweet... sweat...?

What do you think the pluses and minuses are of being a band in LA?

Nikolai: Plus: Many TRULY great bands to learn from and be blissed out
by...

Minus: Only a few clubs worth playing...

Guylaine: The music scene in LA is actually one of the reasons I stayed here and never went back to France - there are so many good bands here and a sense of community that I find amazing

It's also difficult because there are so many people playing music and doing it well that it's hard to be visible - when you live in a small town and you play in a band, you're special.

In LA, unless you have something really different, people look at you and go - yeah, boring. And they go out to smoke a cigarette.

What do you think is the best thing a person can do with his or her time?

Nikolai: Make art... Make love... Reading... Discourse... Help others... Take lsd...

Guylaine: Eat some good food and drink some good wine.

What's next for you?

Guylaine: We need to record another album and push the ideas in the first one a little further.

Nikolai: Write, rehearse, record: ALBUM #2.

What should I have asked you, but was too lazy and/or unskilled to think of?

Guylaine: I guess you could have asked me what I thought of the new French president but nobody cares really, so it's no big deal.

Nikolai: You could have asked us to decipher the motivations behind the leader of The Brian Jonestown Massacre?

Last question: What LA bands are you listening to these days?

Guylaine: There are so many I don't even know where to start!

I listen to a lot of garage stuff - The Music Machine, the Seeds etc... I recently got a Standells cover album where they do an amazing version of Eleanor Rigby. In the non-rock world, I like Madlib a lot.

And of course, friends' bands ... The BJM, Spindrift, Sky Parade, The Warlocks, The Movies, Naughty Bird, The Willowz, The New Collapse, The Centimeters, etc, etc...

Nikolai: X...LOVE...Autolux...The Tyde...The Warlocks...The Morlocks...BJM...X.

That’s It! Thanks for your time.

The band currently known as Molecules are playing next at The Echo on Saturday, June 30th with Radars to the Sky, Tigers Can Bite You, and The Henry Clay People.

RELATED LINKS:
- Get Out Of The Car MP3

Band of the Week: The Afternoons

You probably know how singer/bassist Alex Church split off from LA pop supergroup Irving to work on his own act Sea Wolf full-time -- they’re playing tonight at The Echo, incidentally -- but you might not have heard of project band The Afternoons formed from some of the other members, singers from Dirt Bird, and a former drummer from Earlimart.

To my knowledge, they’ve only played out once so far, an evening at El Cid several months ago, and it was rather amazing. They had people dancing, which, jesus christ superstar, is nearly impossible on the East Side, least of all at a band’s first show. It was a performance worthy of a pop act with a lot of years under its belt, which I guess is largely unsurprising given the backgrounds of the people involved.

The Afternoons don’t have any tracks available for purchase or download yet, so in meantime, you can visit their myspace page to hear what to expect from their eventual release.

Video Free Silver Lake: Battle of Land & Sea, Feist, Of Montreal, & More

Every Wednesday is like Christmas if you’re into comics, because that’s when all the new books come out. If you don’t read them, you’re missing out. They’ve gotten really damn good lately… like little indie action movies.

If you don’t? Well, here’s a buncha videos to help you through the week, instead.

First up is for local act, The Battle of Land and Sea. I really like what I’ve heard from them, but haven’t seen them live yet. They signed to Notenuf recently and are due to play in the UK next.



Feist’s video for the song 1234 is one of the best I’ve probably ever seen, but I’m a complete sucker for complicated dance sequences.



I saw this clip for of Montreal’s Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse yesterday on The Passion of the Weiss and have had the song stuck in my head ever since.



And speaking of complicated dance sequences, here’s something I came across over on Scenestar…

New Releases Tuesday: The White Stripes, Two Gallants, Art Brut, & More

Just when you thought you were reasonably caught up on new music releases, Tuesday has turned up like a bad penny and, well, you're way fucking behind on everything yet again...

Here's what's out in stores across this great nation today.

White Stripes - Icky Thump
Jaylib (J-Dilla & Madlib) - Champion Sound (Deluxe Reissue)
Art Brut - It's a Bit Complicated
Polyphonic Spree - Fragile Army
Two Gallants - The Scenery of Farewell
Dizzee Rascal - Maths & English
Amiina - Kurr
Built To Spill - You in Reverse LP
Tomahawk - Anonymous
Hentchmen (old Jack White project)- Hentch-Forth
Savath & Savalas - Golden Pollen
Bumps (members of Tortoise) - S/T
Matt Pond PA - If You Want Blood
Xavier Rudd - White Moth
Fridge (Featuring Fourtet & Adem) - The Sun
Jesu - Sun Down 12"
Robert Forster & Grant McLennan (Go-Betweens) - Intermission: The Best of the Solo Recordings 1990-1997
Sir Richard Bishop - While My Guitar Violently Bleeds
Chromeo - Fancy Footwork
Various Artists - Box of Dub
Xasthur/Streiborg - Split 7"
Queers - Pleasant Screams (reissue)
Rocky Votolato - Brag & Cuss

The Monday Show Low Down (Or “Sometimes I Feel Like I Can Run Forever...”)

I'm updating on my lunch break at work right now, so gotta keep it quick... Click here if you want to hear a stream/download of the Demo Listen episode I did with Octavius and Lawyer Jed on KXLU 88.9 FM last Friday night.

Also did a little DJing at Little Radio Summer Camp yesterday, too. Fun times...

Anyway, enough about me, let's take a look at the shows going on this week here in LA.

Monday, June 18
- Thailand, Pink Mochi, & Good On Paper @ The Silver Lake Lounge (FREE)
- The Deadly Syndrome & Something For Rockets @ Spaceland (FREE)
- Escape The Fate @ The Troubadour
- Burning Brides, Nebula, Sasquatch, & Black Fur @ The Echo (FREE)
- Health, Dan Deacon, Video Hippos, Knight Rider, & Juiceboxx @ Pehrspace
- Frank Lenz, Frankel, Numbers Station, & Francisco the Man! @ The Scene (Glendale – FREE)
- The Natural Disasters & Adeline @ Bordello
- The Parson Redheads, The Quarter After, & The Lovetones @ Safari Sam’s
- Ollin, Abe Lincoln Story, 3 Leg Torso, & Listing Ship @ Mr. T’s Bowl
- The Shys @ The Viper Room
- Kevin Kanner, Gerald Clayton, Tim Green, & Ambrose Akinmusire & The Mint (FREE)
- The Horrors w/ Bloodcat Love @ The El Rey

DECISION:
You only have two more weeks to catch the free Thailand or The Deadly Syndrome residency nights, so you better choose one tonight. Both are great live plus free.

Tuesday, June 19
- Castledoor & The Procession @ Spaceland
- the young goodman browns (Formerly Black Heart Brigade) @ The Mint
- Jamie Stewart (Xiu Xiu), Shearwater, Minus Story, & Brothers & Sisters @ The Echo
- The Cauterized, The Dolemite Project, Sinful Bliss, & Eat the Living @ The Scene (Glendale)
- The Grand Marquee & Van Gunn @ Safari Sam's
- You, Me, & Iowa and The Remus Lupins @ The Troubadour
- Architecture In Helsinki, Gang Gang Dance, & Ariel Pink @ The Henry Fonda

DECISION:
Big band pop act Castledoor are great live and I’ve been meaning to check out The Young Goodman Browns.

Wednesday, June 20
- I Make This Sound @ The Three of Clubs (FREE)
- The White Stripes @ “Icky Thump Records” on Sunset
- Ferraby Lionheart & Eleni Mandell @ The Hotel Cafe
- Louis XIV @ The Roxy
- Barbie and the Hookers, Cut the Line, Lower Class Kids, & Second Class @ The Scene (Glendale)
- Juiceboxx @ The Echo
- Jesse Malin @ The Troubadour
- Hazelden @ The Derby
- Radio Birdman @ The El Rey
- 8MM @ Molly Malone's
- Moonrats @ Safari Sam's
- Io Echo @ The Cat Club
- CLUB NME w/ The New Year & David Bazan @ Spaceland
- Amnion, Dirt Bird, & Tara Busch @ Bordello
- Moving Picture Show @ The Silver Lake Lounge
- Acute, Jesse Malin, & Wild Birds @ Troubadour
- The Police & The Foo Fighters @ Staples

DECISION:
If I didn’t have to work late this week, I’d be at The Hotel Café for the pop music stylings of Ferraby Lionheart on Wednesday night.

Thursday, June 21
- Sea Wolf @ The Echo
- The Beatles Tribute: with Kind Hearts & Coronets, Io Echo, The Karabal Nightlife, & more @ Safari Sam's
- The Minor Canon @ Hotel Café
- Nomo @ Spaceland
- The Police & The Foo Fighters @ Staples
- Summer Party w/ Josie Cotton, Nikki Corvette & the Stingrays, Little Girls, & Makeout Party @ Echoplex
- Zach Steel @ Canter's Kibitz Room
- Norah Jones & M. Ward @ The Greek
- Deadbeat Sinatra, Red Cavalier, The Owsleys, & Experiment Perilous @ The Scene (Glendale)
- Castledoor, The Don’ts, Japanesian Barbie, & Emma Burgess @ The Silver Lake Lounge
- Tortoise @ The El Rey

DECISION:
If you haven’t seen Sea Wolf or The Minon Canon before and heart semi-melancholic pop music, you really ought to do yourself a favor and go check one out on Thursday night.

Friday, June 22
- The Switch & Division Day @ Safari Sam’s
- Rob Crow (of Pinback), Johnny and The Moon (w/ Dante Decaro of Wolf Parade), & Manic @ Spaceland
- Carina Round @ Amoeba Music
- Castledoor @ Chain Reaction
- The Controllers, Thee Undertakers, Elegant Bastards, & The Devil @ The Scene (Glendale)
- Repeater @ Fais Do-Do
- Divisadero, 1985, The Louvre, & The Solvents @ Pehrspace
- Silver Daggers @ Henry Fonda Theater
- Low @ The Troubadour (Cancelled)

DECISION:
Sea Level Records’ Going Away Party on Friday night at Safari Sam’s is not to be missed. The last time I saw The Switch play? They completely fucking killed it. And Division Day? I don’t they have a song that I don’t like or lurve.

Saturday, June 23
- Tarwater @ Spaceland
- Low @ The Troubadour (Cancelled)
- Silver Daggers @ Henry Fonda Theater
- Turn Of The Radio @ Echoplex
- DJ Food @ The Troubadour
- Alela Diane, Lee Bob Watson, Mariee Sioux, Aaron Ross, & Benjamin Oak Goodman @ The Echo
- Fluff, Supreme Dicks, & Boy/Girl @ The Scene (Glendale)
- The Natural Disasters, The Evangenitals, Vermouth, Cousin Junebug, Ollin, & 8 Bit @ Mr. T's Bowl
- The Weather Underground, Nightbirds, & Lismore @ Pehrspace
- The Police & The Foo Fighters @ Dodger’s Stadium

DECISION:
I don’t really know any of the bands playing on Saturday night too well… Any suggestions? (Check the comments below.)

Sunday, June 24
- Little Radio Summer Camp w/? @ The Little Radio Downtown Warehouse
- Tegan & Sara @ Amoeba Records (free in-store)
- One Trick Pony @ The Good Hurt
- Nomo @ Spaceland
- Janeane Garofalo @ The Troubadour
- Kites in Flight, Finn Riggins, Jared Mees, Volitons @ The Scene (Glendale – FREE)
- El-Haru Kuroi, The Devil's Romantics, The Mamasuki, & The Keys @ The Eagle Rock Bowling & Drinking Club at All-Star Lanes
- DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, & Jurassic 5 @ The Hollywood Bowl

DECISION:
I’m definitely going back to Little Radio Summer Camp on Sunday ... just for fun in the sun ... but I don’t know who is playing. After that? Maybe The Devils Romantics at The Eagle Rock Bowling & Drinking Club.

That's it. Did I miss anything? Please lemme know.

Mini-Interview: Radars to the Sky

It’s hard to write any way but in the most straight-forward fashion about how much I like LA indie rock outfit Radars To The Sky: I enjoy every song on their EP and never get tired of seeing them play live. It’s that simple.

So, without any further preamble, here’s an interview with Lead Andrew Spitser.

Hey, Andrew. How’s life? I understand you’ve got another band member coming on the way any day now.

Yep, Kate [my wife and our keyboard player/ other singer] was originally due this Saturday, about the time we were both on stage at The Troubadour. Little Maya is going to get very tired of hearing that story when she's older, I fear! But, yeah, I've been trying to figure out if a guitar would be an appropriate present for a newborn....

How are things going for the band?

Frankly, we're a bit bewildered. We spent last year just kind of incubating-- practicing and recording an EP -- then started playing shows this past December. Never in our imagination did we think that by this summer we'd be playing The Troubadour, The Echo, The Silver Lake Lounge, and Spaceland; not to mention getting to share the stage with such great bands.

We've been so grateful for all of the positive feedback and enthusiasm. And we feel like we've really grown together musically. Like a lot of new bands, we started off with me bringing songs to the band almost fully formed. But it's increasingly become a more organic and collaborative process as we've worked on new songs. I think that's a big reason why we've been getting better and better.

How did you first start up?

I'd played in bands before but stopped when I went to law school. But I'd just gotten a hold of some home recording gear and just couldn't kick the music habit (at the expense of some of my reading, I'm afraid!). Luckily, at about that time I met Kenny, our drummer, who was my classmate, and he was having similar music withdrawals, so when we finished our first year we started playing.

I think we were both surprised at how much fun it was. So we recruited Martin, who I've played music with for about ten years, to play bass; had Kate start playing keyboards and singing with us; and were lucky enough to find Seamus to play guitar. By then it was sort of out of our hands- we were a band.

What are the backgrounds for everyone in the group? What bands were they in before?

Kenny's played in a couple of different projects around town, including a band called Elephonic that did really interesting down-tempo electronic stuff with live drums. Kate's a classically trained piano player. Seamus played drums and guitar in a few bands in Houston before moving out here. Martin was the bass player and then the drummer in our old band, avelar. He's also the drummer in a really cool band called Maxwell Demon.

I know you’ve mentioned before that seeing The Archers of Loaf live for the first time was an epiphany for you. What other bands inspired you and the others?

Yeah, growing up I was a Smiths/Cure kind of kid. When I got to college, I met these guys that were into Pavement and Sonic Youth and The Pixies, etc. Really blew my mind.

But the real moment was seeing Archers of Loaf - to realize that music could be so big and momentous and intricate and creative and raw and powerful and, well, rocking, without resorting to any of the cliches or lazy songwriting of metal or grunge that was dominant at the time was really a revelation. A little after that, I saw a video of Built to Spill. That was another, um, "moment of clarity."

At the same time, I grew up in a house that listened to folk music - I think I was the only guy under 30 who choked up when he heard John Denver had died! So what bands like M. Ward, Bright Eyes, Pedro the Lion, Death Cab and Pinback to some extent, and Wilco have been able to do with the genre has really impressed me.

As for the others, we gain, I think, from having somewhat disparate tastes. Kenny, at his heart, is kind of a prog rock guy really. Seamus grew up more into the punk and gothic side of things; Martin's other band is much more punky and grungy; and Kate studied Chopin and Bach, yet also idolizes Kim Deal. I think it's a strength that, while we all know and like the same core music, they're not all kneeling at the same Isaac Brock/Doug Martsch altar that I do when we write.

How would you describe your music, if pressed to?

Well, probably a combination of the influences we have: a good part "throwback-indie rock" (if I can coin a genre) -- jangly, noodly, multiple-part guitar-based rock; with an emphasis on melody; plus a dash of more straight-ahead, more danceable rock; and a pinch of folk influence; with lyrics that try their best to say something interesting in a poetic way.

So, you’ve known Mikel from The Airborne Toxic Event for a long time, eh?

Mikel and I were the two kids in Junior High with the least trendy clothes and the only two who didn't really get why everyone was so into Guns 'n' Roses -- a natural friendship! We learned to play guitar at the same time. At least as for me, I've always been inspired by his songwriting talent and probably prodded by that to improve myself.

What's your name from? (Not Andrew. You know, the band name.)

A lot of our songs are about what happens after death and wondering about other life out there, questioning the ideas of faith and belief and the old "what are we doing here" thing (sometimes prompted by having a baby, probably). So we all felt that Radars to the Sky -- the whole idea of searching and looking outward/ looking for meaning-- was really powerful.

I thought the book Contact by Carl Sagan was mind-blowing in the way that it played with the ideas of science as faith and with the uncertainty of our place in the universe. For someone trained as a scientist, it's some astonishingly perceptive philosophy and damn good prose. So it's from there that the image of the radar looking upwards was inspired.

Do you have any special message for young people? (I hear this often question asked to music groups in Japan, for some reason.)

That's funny. We recently did a show for a career day at a school where my friend's the principal. We were trying to stress that it really is possible, if not preferable, to play music and also get an education and career options, etc. But they just wanted to know what we thought of Slipknot....

What’s next for Radars? A new EP, touring, residency, video, etcetera?

We've got a couple of shows we're really excited about -- an acoustic show at our friends Thailand's residency in a couple of weeks and then a Saturday night at The Echo that we got to book (so the other bands are all great!).

Then we're going to take off more than a month to take the bar exam, clean diapers, and bang out an EP by August. By this fall we're planning to head out of town here and there to play some shows in some other places, and are very much hoping to play a residency.

Last question: What LA acts are you liking the most right now?

We've gotten to play with such amazing bands lately -- from Death to Anders to The Happy Hollows to The Airborne Toxic Event (and no, not just because...) to Thailand. Plus, we can't wait to play with Molecules, The Henry Clay People, and Tigers Can Bite You. I was so impressed by Rademacher and The Switch at the last Let's Independent!.

Kissing Tigers, Division Day, The Western States Motel, and The Deadly Syndrome all have myspace pages I've abused in the last few months. And I'm a sucker for the Maxwell Demon. As you've written, there is a tremendous amount of good music to see in this town these days.

That’s it. Thanks for your time, Andrew!

If I can just add a quick semi-public thank you to Regina who has filled in on keyboards for us the last few months. We really appreciated all of her hard work, and it was fun having her on the team.

Anyhow, thanks a lot, Joe!

Radars to the Sky play on Monday, June 25th at The Silver Lake Lounge and Sat, June 30th at The Echo.

RELATED LINKS:
- Long Walk Home MP3
- Wave Goodbye To The Sun MP3
- Rude Surprise MP3

The Midweek Show Update: The White Stripes, Spoon, Kings of Leon, Bright Eyes, The New Pornographers, Cold War Kids, & More

Lots of bigger name indie bands have announced shows here in LA over the next few months, like The New Pornographers, Spoon, The White Stripes w/ Cold War Kids, and Bright Eyes.

Some have presale tickets available, while others -- like The White Stripes -- don't appear to have gone on sale yet. Be sure to check Ducat King and Musictoday to see if you can avoid some monster service charges.

Check out the concert calendar in the right-hand column for dates and venues for all the afore-mentioned bands and all the ones listed below: The Modlins, The Hard To Get, The Sundelles, The Mullhollands, The Spazzmatics, Pillow Theory, Divison Day, Moving to France, St. Motel, In Waves, War Tapes, Broad Daylight, The Automatic (UK), The Adored, The Red Hearts, Epsilons, Thee Makeout Party!, The Babes, The Happy Hollows, The Parson Redheads, The Quarter After , The Lovetones, As Tall As Lions, Army of Me, Low Vs Diamond, Ferraby Lionheart, The Spires, The Karrabal Nightlife, Franklin For Short, Knight Rider, The French Semester, The Henry Clay People, Divisadero, and Hello Menno.

Band of the Week: Mezzanine Owls

Echoey and pretty and melodic, Mezzanine Owls are one of the many solid LA live acts we’re lucky enough to see on a fairly regular basis.

Spin has compared them to Jesus and Mary Chain and Doves, while others say they have bits of Jayhawks and Echo & The Bunnymen in their DNA… and they have one EP out right now – Slingshot Echoes, which you can find here – and are beginning work on another.

If this post was better timed, it’d tell you when you can next see them play here in town, but they just performed the Indie 103.1 night at The Viper Room with The Parson Redheads and Frankel earlier this week. Though, if you live right out of LA, you're in luck as they’re due to play The Prospector in Long Beach on June 12th and Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa on the 14th.

RELATED LINKS:
- Lightbulb MP3
- Moving Ground MP3

Tuesday New Releases: Queens of the Stone Age, Frankel, Datarock, & More

If you didn’t notice already, it’s hella Tuesday already. (Editor's Note: Regular use of the term "hella" on this site is intended purely in the most post post-ironic sense.) So, here’s a look at some of the new CD releases in stores across the country this week.

Era Vulgaris by Queens of the Stone Age
The Lost Tracks of Danzig by Glenn Danzig
Lullaby for the Passersby by Frankel
The Traveling Wilburys Collection by The Traveling Wilburys
Real Life by Joan As Police Woman
Theology by Sinead O'Connor
God Is A Bullet by The Mission U.K.
A Year In The Wilderness by John Doe
Datarock Datarock by Datarock
Version by Mark Ronson

And don’t forget there’s a release party for the new Aaron (Earlimart) Espinoza-produced Frankel CD at Sea Level Records this Saturday at four -- and Joan As Police Woman is playing at The Hotel Café with RFSL fave Two Sheds on Wednesday.

The Monday Show Low Down (Or "That Tastes Like I Ate A Roll Of Pennies")

I'm starting to suspect that I'm being stalked by members of The Parson Redheads and/or The LA Times' Buzz Bands Blog columnist Kevin Bronson. I mean, they've been pretty much every place I've been publicly over the last week...

And jesus christ superstar, but there were some great shows: The Front CD release party at The Troubadour last Wednesday with Mezzanine Owls, The Dodos, and The Sunday Drivers; The Lonely Years at The Scene in Glendale on Friday; The Airborne Toxic Event, Radars to the Sky, and The Happy Hollows at The Troubadour on Saturday night; and yesterday, Little Radio Summer Camp with The Little Ones, Brothers and Sisters, and The Raveonettes and then The Switch at Spaceland.

Sure, they might just have similar taste then me -- I'm prepared to accept that -- but as Robert Evans always says, when there's a difference between truth and the legend, print the legend.

Anyway, let's take a look at this week's shows in LA...

Monday, June 11
- Thailand, Repeater, Death To Anders, & Expo 70 @ The Silver Lake Lounge (FREE)
- Burning Brides, Starlight Desperation, Thee L.A. Gentlemen Callers, & Sub Rosa @ The Echo (FREE)
- The Deadly Syndrome & Brothers and Sisters @ Spaceland (FREE)
- Health @ Pehrspace
- Bang Sugar Bang, The Randies, Girl in a Coma, & Chupacobra @ The Scene (Glendale – FREE)
- Deena Rubinson, Dr. El Suavo, Abe Lincoln Story, & Ghidorah @ Mr T’s Bowl
- The Pipettes @ The Troubadour
- LCD Soundsystem & Yacht @ The El Rey
- Phantom Plant @ The Roxy
- Ambrose Akinmusire , Gerald Clayton, Kevin Kanner, & Tim Green @ The Mint
- Health, The Mae Shi, Abe Vigoda, & Beach Balls @ Pehrspace
- All Smiles @ Sea Level Records
- Frankel, Hymns, Mezzanine Owls, & The Parson Redheads @ The Viper Room

DECISION:
Tough decision, that is… There are really worthwhile shows going on tonight at The Silver Lake Lounge, Spaceland, and (gasp!) The Viper Room. (And two out of the three are free.)

Tuesday, June 12
- Benefit for 826 & African Water Wells w/ Cold War Kids, The Little Ones @ Echoplex
- The Duke Spirit @ Spaceland
- Brian Wilson @ Pasadena Civic Auditorium
- Dead Ponies, Sea Beast, & Holy Curtain @ The Silver Lake Lounge
- Lenka @ Mr T’s Bowl
- Laco$te, Clara Clara, Nosaj Thing, Kickball, & Lucky Dragons @ The Smell
- Laura Weinbach @ Bordello
- Miniature Tigers, The Syrups, & Model K @ The Scene (Glendale)
- Menomena & All Smiles @ The Troubadour

DECISION:
You’ll probably regret it if you never see Brian Wilson perform, eh? But Cold War Kids and The Little Ones are more of a sure bet for an amazing show Tuesday night.

Wednesday, June 13
- Two Sheds, Meiko, Susie, Suh, Tim Segreto, & Joan As Police Woman @ The Hotel Café
- Club NME Presents White Rabbits @ Spaceland
- Marvelous @ The Cat Club
- Jessie Deluxe, The UV's, The Rainman Suite, & Levator @ The Scene (Glendale)
- Lemon Sun & Scissors For Lefty @ The Knitting Factory
- The Finches, Scary Mansion, & Michael Leviton @ The Silver Lake Lounge
- Datarock & 8-Bit @ The Troubadour
- Jana Hunter, Imaad Wasif And The Two Part Beast, Eric Layer, & Whitman @ The Smell
- Hot Chip @ The Henry Fonda

DECISION:
I can’t say enough good things about Sacremento’s Two Sheds. They’re going on at seven, so I can’t see them until they come back to play The Silver Lake Lounge later in the month. .

Thursday, June 14
- Sleepytime Gorilla Museum @ The Troubadour
- Rock Insider Presents Castledoor, Amy Cooper, The Monolators, & Ema and The Ghosts @ The Silver Lake Lounge
- The Mother Hips & Brothers and Sisters @ The Echoplex
- No Age, Naomi, Haircut Mountain Transit, & Jessica Rylan @ Pehrspace
- Ladybug Transistor, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, The Donkeys, & The Papercuts @ The Echo
- Calvin Johnson, Julie Doiron, & Jeremy Jay @ The Smell
- Zach Steel @ Canter's Kibitz Room
- The Henry Clay People, Death To Anders, Michael Leviton, & Derek Halet @ The Scene (Glendale)

DECISION:
The Rock Insider show with Castledoor and The Monolators at The Silver Lake Lounge and The Henry Clay People and Death To Anders at The Scene should be fun.

We’ve got some tickets for Ladybug Transistor, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, The Donkeys, and The Papercuts at Spaceland. (Write us here and include your full name to be entered in the drawing.)

Friday, June 15
- Nightfur, The Stevenson Ranch Davidians, & Chase Frank @ Pehrspace
- The Noisettes @ Amoeba Music
- MacCabees, The Pity Party, & The Noisettes @ The Troubadour
- Mere Mortals, Karabal Nightlife, & Rocking Horse People @ Spaceland
- Upsilon Acrux, Bad Dudes, Silver Daggers, & Peter Kolovos @ The Smell
- No Alternative, Deadly Companions, The Night Slaves, & The Eegos @ The Scene (Glendale)
- Teddy's Cheer Club @ El Cid
- Moving to France, Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground, Matcli, The Make, & Curt Phillips @ The Knitting Factory
- The Long Blondes, Nicole Atkins & The Sea, & The Boggs @ The Echo
- The Mammals, The Chapin Sisters, Ghost Stories, & Sam Sparro @ Tangier
- Safe Francis @ The Henry Fonda

DECISION:
Pehrspace and Spaceland both have some interesting line-ups for Friday night. I hear good things about MacCabees and The Noisettes, who will be at The Troubadour with local hard-working two-pice The Pity Party.

Saturday, June 16
- Check Yo Ponytail w/ Juan Maclean (DJ set) & Dan Deacon @ The EchoPlex
- Frankel CD Release Party @ Sea Level Records (Free)
- The Rosebuds & Land of Talk @ Spaceland
- Wesley Snipes @ The Scene (Glendale)
- Vomit Bomb, Abe Vigoda, Flexions, Teenage Talking Cars, & Fifty on Their Heels @ The Smell
- Haunted Castle, Villa Valley, & Drenches @ Pehrspace
- The Fratellis & Division Day @ Avalon
- The Weather Underground & Rolling Blackouts @ The Treehouse Gallery
- Lavender Diamond @ The Troubadour

DECISION:
I’m definitely catching the Frankel CD Release Party on Saturday afternoon at Sea Level Records. After that, is anyone’s guess, but I don’t think I could ever get tired of seeing Lavender Diamond play.

Sunday, June 17
- Little Radio Summer Camp w/ ? @ The Little Radio Downtown Warehouse (12 – 6)
- Part Time Punks: Ladies nite with Looker @ The Echo
- Bebel Gilberto @ The El Rey
- Oliver Future @ Hotel Café
- El-Haru Kuroi, The Digits, & Veefkind @ The Eagle Rock Bowling & Drinking Club at All-Star Lanes
- The Greatest Touchdown Ever Scored @ The Knitting Factory
- Totally Radd!!, Captain Ahab, Juiceboxxx, Anavan, The Bushes @ The Smell
- Keren Ann @ The Troubadour
- The One AM Radio, Daedelus, Lonely Hearts, & Eulogies @ Tangier
- Springtime Is Wartime & Regime Noir @ The Cocaine at Live Jazz
- Totally Radd!!, Captain Ahab, Juiceboxxx, Anavan, The Bushes @ The Smell

DECISION:
I’m not sure of the line-up at Little Radio Summer Camp yet, but I don’t care. Yesterday was so much fun that I’m definitely going back… (And I think I might be DJing again.)

That’s it. Did I miss anything? Please lemme know.

Mini-Interview: The Switch

LA jangly pop outfit The Switch pretty much demand attention: Immediately likeable, powerful live, and nice as hell, they’re the type of band you want living in the middle of your neighborhood and playing out often.

Lucky for us, they do on both counts. We spoke with lead Aaron Kyle about what brings them here and where they’re going next.

Hey Aaron, how’s it going? The Switch are one of my favorite acts in LA right now. How long have you been around? How did you all start playing together?

Joe (Drums) and I (vox/guitar) started playing together in January of 2006 and about a month later Maria (trumpet/viola) joined the band. Chris (bass) came next, then Josh (keys).

How is The Switch a collection of each of your influences. What bands have you all been in before? What do you all bring to the table?

We all come from pretty different backgrounds but we’ve all been a pretty big influence on each other.

We’ve all been in various bands before this one. I played solo for awhile and in an LA-based band called Veeda. Joe played drums in a band called Daphne The Painted Lady. Maria used to play in the NY-based punk-ska band, The Loose Nuts. Chris was in a Portland-based band called the Dolomites. And Josh has a Master’s Degree in Music Composition…

I saw your drummer Joe Napolitano play with indie country band The Lonely Years a few weeks ago at Pehrspace and they were fantastic. I hope he can keep up duties for both groups. He’s really talented.

That’s a common misconception. Hahaha!

Yeah, that show was great! Joe is kind of a band slut. He’s in a number of bands around LA including his project, NapTunes, which I also play guitar in.

So you have to change your name from The Switch? What’s the story behind that? What are some of the names you’re considering?

There’s a band in NY called The Switch. They copyrighted the name. We’re in the process of coming up with a new one.

If anyone has any suggestions besides: Darth Chocolate, Aerial Ballet, Mr. Whiskers & The Sunshine Kids, or Diarrhea of Anne Frank…we’re open.

You guys are playing the Sea Level Records Going Away Party at Safari Sam’s on Friday, June 22nd with Division Day. There are quite a lot of us local music dorks who are really sad to see the store close. Sea Level was really supportive of LA bands -- but it’s probably particularly so for you since you worked there for a time.

Yeah, we’re really sad to see the store go. Todd let us have our record release there. And he’s helped out a lot of LA bands. Sea Level is the only record store in Echo Park and it will be a real loss to the neighborhood when it closes. But we’re really excited and honored to be a part of the going away party at Safari Sam’s.

What’s next for you? Any touring, residencies, videos, or what not?

We have a bunch of shows coming up in LA. Our next show is Sunday June 10, at Spaceland. We’re planning on recording a new EP in July.

Cool. Last question: What local acts are you most enjoying right now?

We’ve been diggin The Broken West, Troika, and Tandemoro, and we really enjoyed playing with Rademacher at Boardner’s.

That's it. Thanks for your time, Aaron.

Here’s a video clip from when The Switch played Let’s Independent! at Boardner’s last month.



RELATED LINKS:
- Tongue Tied MP3
- Living In Another World MP3

The Midweek Show Update: Cold War Kids, The Little Ones, The Octopus Project, & More

I'd like to officially announce the line-up for our next Let's Independent! event at Boardner's on Tuesday, June 26th... It's a night of great and disparate indie pop with Frankel, Tandemoro, and Bedroom Walls and it's FREE. You can listen to and download tracks from all three bands right here.

Radio Free Silver Lake is also helping present a night at The Echo on Saturday, June 30th with Radars to The Sky, Tigers Can Bite You, The Henry Clay People, and Molecules. Both line-ups kind of start and then restart my heart in a way that seems at once dangerous and exciting.

And don't forget to come out to Little Radio Summer Camp this Sunday from noon to six at their downtown warehouse, where there's fun in the sun, cheap margaritas and a vegan BBQ grill, bands like The Little Ones will be playing, and I'll be DJing for about half of it. (It's $10 now, by the way. Long story that I don't know the full details of.)

Check the right-hand column to find venues and dates for all the following bands that we've added to our concert calendar: Cold War Kids, The Little Ones, The Northern Two, Marvelous, Radars to The Sky, Tigers Can Bite You, The Henry Clay People, Molecules, Rob Crow (of Pinback), Johnny and The Moon (w/ Dante Decaro of Wolf Parade), Manic, I See Hawks In LA, The Chapin Sisters, My Brightest Diamond, Rasputina, Mike Andrews, Jessica Hoop, The Polyphonic Spree, Girls Against Boys, The Shout Out Louds, Buffalo Tom, Maximo Park, Monsters Are Waiting, The Magic Numbers, Burning Brides, Nebula, Sasquatch, Black Fur, Qui, Sabertooth Tiger, Alarma, Lion of Panjshir, Hecuba, Lemon Sun, Scissors For Lefty, Zach Steel, Xu Xu Fang, Buckfast, Austin James Band, Nightfur, The Pity Party, The Long Blondes, Nicole Atkins & The Sea, Acute, Jesse Malin, Wild Birds, Norah Jones, M. Ward, Gran Ronde, El-Haru Kuroi, The Digits, Veefkind, The Devil's Romantics, The Mamasuki, The Keys, Health, - David Lowering, Mellodrone, Meho Plaza, The Octopus Project, The Noisettes, 8-Bit, Rademacher, Dead Ponies, Holy Curtain, The Karabal Nightlife, Cat Fur, My Pet Saddle, Kind Hearts & Coronets, Io Echo, The Karabal Nightlife, The Mother Hips, Brothers and Sisters, Springtime is Wartime, and Regime Noir.