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

Song Spotlight (a night at The Fable): Joey Siara's I Was Half Asleep (technically The Henry Clay People tune)

Joey Siara (best known in Los Angeles for The Henry Clay People - 2003 thru 2013) played a recent In Sonic Dreams showcase at The Fable. He mentioned that he had just moved back to Los Angeles from New York. He was welcomed back via a packed house at the venue. I personally was not sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised as the back half of the set was dedicated to playing songs from The Henry Clay People music catalog. As for the first half of his set, he played songs from his other two bands Near Beer and Rat City Sunrise. 

Joey Siara at The Fable

Song Spotlight: Pisces' Driver (a night at The Fable)

In Sonic Dreams has been bringing back the Los Angeles bands from yesteryear to The Fable. In February, Bloody Death Skull and Eli Tarantulas of The Monolators were featured performers. This March, one of those yesteryear bands was Pisces (the moniker for Sarah Negahdari). For those who have been hanging out in the Los Angeles music scene, you are likely more familiar with Negahdari's other band Happy Hollows.   

Pisces at The Fable

Song Spotlight: Ted Z and The Wranglers' Williamsburg (a night at the Bigfoot Lodge)

The five piece Ted Z and The Wranglers band came up from Orange County to play the Americana Joy showcase at Atwater Village's Bigfoot Lodge. Fronted by Ted Zakka, the set was filled with Americana and roots rock music.  

Ted Z and The Wranglers at the Bigfoot Lodge

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): Apr 5th - Apr 11th

A Handful (bucketful) of Show Alerts

Sunday, Apr 5th: Lasers Lasers Birmingham at Grand Ole Echo (The Echo). Doors at 5:30 p.m.
In 2021, I made mention of his set during a Week of Music review I did, which you can read here.

Monday, Apr 6th: Buckets at The Airliner Bar. Doors at 7 p.m.

Read my song spotlight for the band's "Judy" here.

Monday, Apr 6th: Dave Harrington at Club Tee Gee. Doors at 8 p.m.

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

Wednesday, Apr 8th: Darienne Savoy at Hotel Ziggy. Doors at 7 p.m.
Read my song spotlight for her "Frozen in Time" here.

Wednesday, Apr 8th: Leslie Stevens at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 9 p.m.
 In 2023, I covered her set for Buzzbands, which you can read here. 

Thursday, Apr 9th: Escape-ism and Julia, Julia at Alex's Bar. Doors at 8 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for Escape-ism's "Charge of the Love Brigade" here.

In 2023, I covered Julia, Julia for Buzzbands, which you can read here.

Thursday, Apr 9th: Hysteria and My Veronica at the Moroccan Lounge. Doors at 6:30 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for Hysteria's "Reason to Pray" here.

I listed My Veronica as one of my favorite new bands of 2024. You can read that post here.

Thursday, Apr 9th: Maddi Fraser and Taylor Sackson at Bar Lubitsch. Doors at 7 p.m.

Both made my list of favorite new artists of 2023. Fraser did so via Fresh Hot Waffles.

Friday, Apr 10th: Lael Naele at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 6 p.m.

Read my song spotlight for her "Down On The Freeway" here.

Saturday, Apr 11th: Soft Palms at the Moroccan Lounge. Doors at 6:30 p.m. 

Read my song spotlight for the band's "Rainbows" here.

Saturday, Apr 11th: Sunder at Non Plus Ultra. Doors at 8 p.m.

Read my song spotlight for the band's "I Guess I'll See You in the Movies" here.

Saturday, Apr 11th: Izzy Outerspace, High Tatras, and The Spyrals at Oblivion. Doors at 7 p.m.

In 2025, I did a review an Izzy Outerspace and High Tatras night, which you can read here.

In 2024, I did a review of The Spyrals, which you can read here.

Song Spotlight: Avery Tucker's Knots (a night at El Cid)

Avery Tucker (formerly one-half of Girlpool) opened up the night for Witch Post at El Cid a couple weeks back. (If interested, you can read my Witch Post article here.) His singer-songwriter set was played solo with an electric guitar. His vocals were filled with emotional depth. If I heard right, one of his song lyrics included the lines, "I feel life. I feel death." 

Avery Tucker at El Cid

Song Spotlight: Karissa Bone's Life Plan (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

Michigan transplant Karissa Bone currently lives in Los Angeles, but that hasn't diminished her loyalties to her home state. When she took to the WFNM showcase stage at Bar Lubitsch, she immediately discussed college sports. Based on her t-shirt and her friendship with fellow showcase singer Alison Albrecht, she meant Michigan and not Michigan St. Due to the calendar month of said comment, I'm assuming that she was focused on basketball. Should Michigan not win March Madness, someone (or thousands) will be feeling a sense of temporary fan depression. As of the time of this post, the team has advanced to the Final Four.

Karissa Bone at Bar Lubitsch