NFV Song Spotlight: The Doohickeys' This Town Sucks

I've followed The Doohickeys for a bit over a year now. The band duo includes Haley Spence Brown and Jack Hackett. I first came across the band at Americana West Music Festival in 2023 and I got addicted immediately. What got me addicted to this band? Well, as per the title of this blog post, it would be their song "This Town Sucks." I just couldn't help but laugh back in 2023. I also grew up in a small town. The song is about Liberty, Missouri which currently has a population of around 31,000 and is where Brown grew up. The city I grew up in also had a population of around that size. 

The Doohickeys at the Bigfoot Lodge

NFV Song Spotlight: Jessy Fury and The Sound's Heaven

Jessy Fury and The Sound is the project of Jesse Robitaille and they recently played Hotel Ziggy. Robitaille's vocals bring his pop tunes to life. He projects an Elvis Presley reincarnation, but mixed in with pop sounds of the late 80s / early 90s. On this night, the band did toss in a Presley cover song. His backing band is selected to create energy. Emily Dickinson on the keytar and Aubrey Harris on bass amplified and synergized perfectly with Robitaille. Let's not forget the beats and tracks of Declan O'Raidy. The packed house ate it up. 

Jessy Fury and The Sound at Hotel Ziggy

NFV Song Spotlight: Janelane's Killing Time

Janelane recently played The Fable during a Ryan Pollie night. I first came across Janelane in 2017 at Echo Park Rising. I was shooting the festival for Buzzbands. I technically wasn't suppose to shoot Janelane. I had been assigned the venues east of The Echo. Yet, I decided to check out Janelane over at Spacedust (the store closed at the end of 2023), which was a store west of The Echo. I've been a fan ever since. The band is fronted by Sophie Negrini with a rotating cast of musicians. 

Janelane at The Fable

NFV Song Spotlight: Circle the Earth's Sweetest Pain

I saw Circle the Earth play a spirited set at Hotel Ziggy (a WFNM night) on August 27th, 2024. Of note, the band name is so appropriate as the members hail from across the globe. You have Brazilian drummer Sandro Feliciano, Japanese guitarist Kazuki Tokaji, and Taiwanese keyboardist Sandy Chao Wang. The five piece band is rounded out by Michael McBay on bass and Aviva Scott on vocals. The band's set was filled with the power pop ballads that highlighted Scott's crystal vocals. 

Circle the Earth at Hotel Ziggy

PAGOTO Celebrates Record '7989' by Blasting Ear Drums at Licorice Pizza Records

PAGOTO, a project of L.A. Witch drummer Ellie English, had their record release at Licorice Pizza Records. Knowing that connection, one might expect a sound somewhat similar to L.A. Witch, a bit psychedelic mixed in with blues and rock. That would be totally incorrect. This band is a hard core industrial band. Vocals are screamed at jet engine levels and drums are slammed with the intensity of the flames coming from a rocket booster engine. Their 8 song album, 7989, is 7 songs of industrial with the final song “Ancestor” taking one on a meanderingly chill drug trip – got to let the listener take a breather. The band played the album in full at Licorice Pizza in front of friends as many a long conversation was had prior to the band hitting the stage. Members of L.A. Witch also arrived to show their support for their band mate. 

PAGOTO at Licorice Pizza Records

Harvard & Stone: Strawberry Army with Verum

It is always fun to catch Strawberry Army. The twin sisters just have so much fun on stage. Smiles. Seemingly having way too much fun on stage. Vocals that are deeper than one might expect.  A stage show filled with antics. Only problem, I seem to only see them in poorly lit venues. One day I'll catch this band under the bright lights and get some really solid photos.

Strawberry Army

Verum opened up the night. One of the band members is also part of Strawberry Army. 

Verum

Harvard & Stone: Grace McKagan and Tessa Rae

This was my first time seeing Grace McKagan since seeing her front The Pink Slips all the way back in 2017. Her set was rocking and she definitely knew how to put on a stage show. Of course, fronting The Pink Slips for a number of years helped her with both of those aspects of being a live performer. She had a residency at Harvard & Stone for November and I really wish I'd seen more than just one of those nights.

Grace McKagan

Tessa Rae opened the night. I previously saw her play for WFNM at Bar Lubitsch. With a number of friends out in support, she put on an energetic pop-dance set.

Tessa Rae

The Silverlake Lounge: Moonfuzz with Lilliana Villines and Pio Gabriel

It was Moonfuzz's final residency night and I hadn't made it out to The Silverlake Lounge yet for their November residency. So off I went, because this band is awesome and I love residency nights. The way Miranda (guitar) and Heaven (bass) play off each other is just fun to watch. One just has to love it when they face off on each other and let it rip. 

Moonfuzz

Lilliana Villines opened up with a calming disposition. Pio Gabriel had the 60s rock sounds going. For a couple songs, they had a friend play the harmonica. The band is on the older side of the ledger, which just proves you can rock out at any age.

Pio Gabriel

Lilliana Villines

Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church: Shannon Lay and Ryan Pollie

Ryan Pollie has been putting on a weekly event at the Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church. I had gone the previous week. He has a sly sense of humor and rocks out some cool tunes.

Ryan Pollie

I've got to admit that Shannon Lay was the main reason I decided to go out on this Sunday night. I just can't get enough of her Irish folk tunes. She did a solo set and I have to say: does she really need a backing band? To me, her music works perfectly either way. 

Shannon Lay

Bar Lubitsch: Thomtide, Beck Pete, Carli Storms, The Natural Supernatural, Young Rising Sons

It is always fun to head to Bar Lubitsch for a WFNM night, especially when there are a couple bands that I've wanted to see, but just haven't been able to catch. 

Thomtide opened up the night. He had friends that flew in for the set. Now that is what friends are for. I'd say he started out a touch nervous, but he grew more confident as he got his sea legs.

Thomtide

Beck Pete was the only person on the bill that I'd seen before and that previous time was a short set. She played an El Cid afternoon set where there was a double booking and so bands got only 10 to 20 minutes of set time. Got to say that it was awesome catching a full set. She was super honest about one song where she mentioned that when her father died she briefly spiraled out of control.

Beck Pete

Carli Storms was one of the musicians that I've known about for a few years, but just never got to catch a set. She put on an enthusiastic set with arms raised out in an engaging manner.

Carli Storms

The Natural Supernatural played the recent Lunar Bloom festival. They were the final band of the night on one of the stages and their set time didn't hit until perhaps 1 a.m. It was just too late for me and I had to head home. Yet this is Los Angeles so that means sometimes you just have to wait a couple days and you'll be able to catch the band again (or like Carli Storms you have to wait a few years). They put on a 70s inspired set that had me wishing (if sleep wasn't an issue) I'd caught their Lunar Bloom set.

The Natural Supernatural

Young Rising Sons closed out the night with a pop-rock set. They put on an entertaining show that almost led to the lead singer falling off the stage a few times. Luckily, the stage it not that high up. And also, it was sort of self-caused due to where he set up his pedal board. For one song, the crowd lifted up their cell phones and turned on the flash lights.

Young Rising Sons

Over-all, I got to catch two new bands / musicians I hadn't heard of. Got to catch a couple bands / musicians that I've wanted to catch. And got to catch up with a musician I hadn't seen in a couple years.