Song Spotlight: talker's Gold Rush (a night at the Moroccan Lounge)

I first came across talker (moniker for Celeste Tauchar) in 2018 at a WFNM night. Zealyn (my favorite American Idol) was the reason I went to this particular night at Madame Siam, but I came away with another artist that I've continued to follow through the years. I loved her so much that I put her on my favorite new bands /artist list of 2019. You can see that list here. That's not I typo. Yes, I first saw talker in 2018, but I put her on my 2019 list. I admitted to making a big error when I wrote, "First, what was I thinking in 2018? I left talker off my 2018 list. How dumb. She rocks from the first song to the final song." I've got to say, looking through that 2019 list, I'm rather impressed with my selections. Yes, patting myself on the back. 

talker at The Moroccan Lounge

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): Apr 19th - Apr 25th

A Handful (bucketful) of Show Alerts 

Sunday, Apr 19th: Caravan 222 at The Echo. Doors at 5:30 p.m.

In 2025, I wrote a review of their set, which you can read here.

Sunday, Apr 19th: Giant Waste of Man at Gold-Diggers. Doors at 7 p.m.

One of my favorite new found bands of 2022.

Sunday, Apr 19th: Iress at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 9 p.m.
In 2025, I wrote a US Rocker Music review about the band, which you can read here.

Monday, Apr 20th: Brookelen (moniker for Brooke McKnight) at Zebulon. Doors at 8 p.m.
Brooke McKnight is in a series of music projects. I recently wrote about Host Family (she's the lead vocalist), which you can read here.

Tuesday, Apr 21st: Sister Gemini at The Fable. Doors at 8 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for her "Elvira" here.

Wednesday, Apr 22nd: Janelane at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 9 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for the band's "Killing Time" here. 

Wednesday, Apr 22nd: Sego at Gold-Diggers. Doors at 7 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for the band's "Danny's Song" here.

Thursday, Apr 23rd: Powder Pink & Sweet at Alex's Bar. Doors at 8 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for the band's "Raspberry Lime" here.

Friday, Apr 24th: Laveda at Zebulon. Doors at 7 p.m.
In 2025, I wrote a US Rocker Music review about the band, which you can read here.

Friday, Apr 24th: Sour Tongue at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 6 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for the band's "SOAP" here.

Song Spotlight: Luna Aura's HONEY (a night at the Moroccan Lounge)

Unfortunately, Rocknite is searching for new home as The Goldfish is ending (mostly) live music. They're off searching for a new home via a Rocknite tour across various Los Angeles venues. They started off on April 1st at the Moroccan Lounge. It was a line-up to remember. This Song Spotlight post is dedicated to Luna Aura, but I should make mention of opener Katy Kenny. It was April Fool's day and as she said the joke was on her. She mentioned that she's a punk rocker, but had to turn her set into an acoustic one because both her bassist and drummer had to bail due to totally legit reasons (illness and car problems). She said that she also had to make a couple trips back and forth from the Moroccan Lounge, because she had forgotten her merch at home. 

Luna Aura at the Moroccan Lounge

Song Spotlight: Velvet Chains' Dead In The Head (a night at the El Rey Theatre)

I recently got to cover a night at the El Rey Theatre for US Rocker Music (you can read my article here) and the band that perhaps impressed me the most was the opening band Velvet Chains. Why? They've a hard rock band that just took me back to the days when Def Leppard and Poison ruled the airwaves. As I mentioned in my review, their song "Dead Inside" reminded me of Evanescence. 

Velvet Chains at the El Rey Theatre

Song Spotlight: Molly Bergman's Nothing to Show (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

Bar Lubitsch was the place to be on a recent night for a WFNM showcase. WFNM was testing out a new concept called the Almost Acoustic Showcase. There will be a second round on April 27th. It is similar in nature to the long running Monday Monday at Hotel Cafe series. WFNM starts earlier than Monday Monday so performers got to play 5 songs as compared to 3 songs at Monday Monday. This debut Almost Acoustic Showcase culled performers from the WFNM family. Of the ten performers, I had already seen 7 of them at a WFNM showcase. Of those 7, I've written up articles on 3 of them (you can read those articles by clicking on the following links: Dama Blake, Nikki Hahn, Yagki). 

Molly Bergman at Bar Lubitsch

Song Spotlight: EZ Tiger's Outside Your Sun (a night at Frogtown Brewery)

I missed the first trio of songs of EZ Tiger's set at Frogtown Brewery. I misjudged how long it would take to do my Friday evening exercising. Others did not make the same mistake as the outdoor venue (that is walking distance from Zebulon) was packed. It was potentially the most packed crowd I've seen at the venue. The impetus for the crowd was twofold. First, the band was celebrating the single release of "Outside Your Sun." Second, it was the birthday celebration for drummer Kristy McInnis. I was told that McInnis used to be in one of my favorite "back in the day" bands called The Randies. I think her time as their drums ended after I crossed paths with the band. My first photos of The Randies are from Dec 2006, at which time they had a different drummer. Though I saw them once prior to that -- maybe she was on drums for that show, but I can't recall. 

EZ Tiger at Frogtown Brewery

Song Spotlight: Honeychain's Easy to Forget (a night at Frogtown Brewery)

The last time I crossed paths with Honeychain was in 2017. I actually saw them 4 times within about a 1 year's timeframe that stretched between 2016 - 2017. Three of those four moments occurred at a Los Angeles river location called The Frog Spot, which I'm rather sure no longer exists. Let's just say that I was waiting for them to play another set in the Frogtown area in order to break my Honeychain drought. That opportunity arose in late March at Frogtown Brewery. 

Honeychain at Frogtown Brewery

The three-piece band includes vocalist-guitarist Hillary Burton, backing vocalist-bassist Andre Tusques, and drummer Loye Aubrey Jr. I've known Tusques for years via the band Silver Needle. So even if I first came across the band in 2016, my connections with the band dates back much further. 

The set started off with Tusques wanting to put the foot to the pedal, but he had to go into neutral as drummer Aubrey was getting his gear settled, which included putting on his Ahead drummer gloves (which looked like race driver gloves). Once the gloves were put on, the band kicked off the set, led by Burton's Kay Hanley-like vocals.   

Honeychain at Frogtown Brewery

For this old-timer Los Angeles music junky, the first two songs of the set had me in flash back heaven. "Bombs Away" took me back to the Kiss or Kill Club days of The Randies and Bang Sugar Bang while "Crushed" had that Letters to Cleo (Kay Hanley's band) touch. 

The band put on an entertaining stage show with headbutts and instrumental battles. When they were particularly pleased with certain aspects of their set, smiles were broad. In his band Silver Needle, Tusques has guitar duties while John Arakaki plays the bass. For Honeychain, he took on the spirit of Arakaki and the showmanship of a bassist by taking a stand on the beer barrels at the front of the stage. 

Honeychain at Frogtown Brewery

What did I notice: there were some young adults off to the side who were supporting their elder family members.

Song spotlight goes to "Easy to Forget" which "starts on G." A song about a two-timing guy.  

Honeychain at Frogtown Brewery

I see you walking with another girl.
What made you think that you could play me for a fool?

Setlist: Bombs Away, Crushed, Easy to Forget, Let's Get Pretty, Pocket Full of Good Luck, Little Sin, Go Away, Z89, Ready for the World to End, Going Thru Your Purse, Lucky One. 

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): Apr 12th - Apr 18th

A Handful (Bucketful) of Show Alerts 

Sunday, Apr 12th: Dutch East Indians at The Escondite. Doors at 3 p.m.

Read my song spotlight of the band's "All Time High" here.

Sunday, Apr 12th: The What Four at The Echo. Doors at 5:30 p.m.

In 2015, I wrote a review of their set, which you can read here.

Monday, Apr 13th: The Doohickeys at Zebulon. Doors at 8 p.m.
Read my song spotlight of the band's "This Town Sucks" here.

Wednesday, Apr 15th: Maryze at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 9 p.m.
Read my song spotlight of her "Playing Dress-Up" here.

Wednesday, Apr 15th: Me.Kai at Hotel Ziggy. Doors at 7 p.m.

Read my song spotlight of her "Daylight" here.

Thursday, Apr 17th: Kate Clover at the Alex's Bar. Doors at 8 p.m.

In 2015, I wrote a review of her set, which you can read here.

Friday, Apr 17th: Kate Clover at the Moroccan Lounge. Doors at 9:30 p.m.

Doing a quick tour of Los Angeles county.

Saturday, Apr 18th: Fartbart, Ramonda Hammer, and The Shakers at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 6 p.m.
In 2013, I wrote a review of Fartbart, which you can read here.
Read my song spotlight of Ramonda Hammer's "Eyelash" here.
In 2015, I wrote a review of The Shakers, which you can read here.

Saturday, Apr 18th: Faydean, Gal Musette, and Nat Lefkoff at The Hotel Cafe. Doors at 7 p.m.

Read my song spotlight of Faydean's "Rock 'Em-sock 'Em" here

Gal Musette was one of my favorite new artists of 2023.

Read my song spotlight of Nat Lefkoff's "Broken Down House here.

Saturday, Apr 18th: Kora Puckett at Zebulon. Doors at 7 p.m.

Read my song spotlight of his "Far as I Can Tell" here.

Song Spotlight: Bossi's Cassandra (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

Theatrical and expressive. Those are two words to describe Bossi's WFNM showcase set at Bar Lubitsch. Her set opened up with a 3 minute recitation of a personal poem.

So many missteps and redirects.
A thousand threads that don't connect. 

Bossi at Bar Lubitsch

Song Spotlight: Vince Palmeri's SO GOOD (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

Wearing denim, Vince Palmeri took to the Bar Lubitsch stage for a WFNM showcase night. His set started off with "RENT" that had my 1980s mind pinpointing his sound as a combination of Bon Jovi and Richard Marx. Throughout the set, he griped his microphone stand like a dance partner, turning it into an extension of the set.  

Vince Palmeri at Bar Lubitsch