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

As for Licorice Pizza Records, it can be found at 12230 Ventura Blvd in Studio City. The location has a nice collection of records. It also sells band t-shirts and music concert posters. The location also dabbles in movies with a small collection of DVDs and motion picture memorabilia for movies such as Reality Bites and Garden State. And if you were wondering, the store name is a shout out to the original chain. On their website, they write, “The boutique record store of the same name continues the legacy of the original, famed Southern California chain opened by James Greenwood in July 1969.” 

PAGOTO at Licorice Pizza Records

PAGOTO setlist: Undercut, I See Static, Winter White, Archaea, Worker From Afar, Arithmos, Red, Ancestor 

PAGOTO at Licorice Pizza Records

PAGOTO at Licorice Pizza Records

Little Joy: Mike O'Gorman and Slite of Hand

It was a night at Little Joy with rockers doing singer-songwriter sets. Mike O'Gorman of Nice Enough People and Slite of Hand of Spare Parts for Broken Hearts played their sets with cameos on the keyboards by The Irish Goodbye.

Mike O'Gorman

Slite of Hand

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.

The Goldfish: Sonoda with Brin + Mitchell Brown

I decided at the last minute that I'd see what was going on at The Goldfish. I went there in early September when they had their first live bands and hadn't been back. In fact, I'd barely even checked to see what was on their schedule. I think the issue is that many of their nights are dance nights and so it just doesn't make it on my list of venues that I regularly check up on. Luckily for me, the night I decided to head over to their Instagram page was the night that they had live music. The night was listed as "An Underwater Ambient Series." Sonoda was on the bill and that was a name that I recognize well and so that was the nudge that convinced me to head on out. Opening was Brin + Mitchell Brown.

Sonoda

The first thing I noticed was that The Goldfish had made adjustments to their stage. It was in the same location -- where the VIP area (which wasn't really a VIP area) used to be for the prior occupant, The Hi Hat. What the venue did do was replace the straight lines that made the stage have a geometric look with a circular style (which, okay, is also a geometric look). I wonder if they made the changes based on feedback that they were getting from bands / musicians.

Brin + Mitchell Brown

The night was dedicated to synthesizer music. I can't say I have a full appreciation of the music. My first full introduction to this type of music was when I spent some time in San Francisco back in 2013 and heard multiple nights of this type of music. It is a bit too eclectic for me still, but I do try my best at appreciating the music.

Bar Lubitsch: Olivia Grace, Kill K3nny, Seth Glier, Girl Wilde, Lev

I decided to take off to WFNM for a night where I hadn't seen any of the musicians before so it was all new. Olivia Grace was perhaps the closest musician that I came across before. I noticed that she had played Echo Park Rising a year where I was doing photography for Buzzbands. I just didn't have the opportunity to catch her set. Her music has a soothing pop sound.

Olvia Grace

Kill K3nny came up next with an upbeat pop set. His wife was up at the front, giving some positive vibes. 

Kill K3nny

Seth Glier had flown in that morning from the east coast. Though he is an east coast person, he had a couple friends backing him up who live in Los Angeles. If I understood correctly, one of them used to live in the same town as Seth Glier. His music had a blues sound.

Seth Glier

Girl Wilde brought the flamboyant sound. Sort of reminded me of Jen Awad who had played at WFNM just recently. I wish I had gotten to see that set, but just couldn't make it. 

Girl Wilde

Lev closed out the night with a packed venue filled with fans. His vocals are perfect and seductive. The words just flow perfectly. It was an absolutely enthralling set. 

Lev

The Echo: Cryogeyser with Lecx Stacy and Alms

It was a fun time at The Echo last Monday. Lecx Stacy opening it up. With a drummer backing him up, he leaped into a rap and electronic set that had him bouncing around the stage. His set got those in the audience ramped up as a mosh pit started up. 

Lecs Stacy

Alms came up next and changed the direction of the music towards rock. A four piece that had one remembering the alternative bands of the 80s / 90s. 

Alms

Cryogeyser is the resident band for the month of October. I saw the band previously at Non Plus Ultra a couple years ago. It was nice seeing them getting the residency at The Echo. There were some issues with monitors and such that caused some frustrations, but though the band might not have been able to hear themselves properly, it all worked out fine for those in the audience. 

Cryogeyser