Song Spotlight: Jack West's Missing Out (a night at Hotel Ziggy)

Jack West dropped on by the WFNM showcase at Hotel Ziggy. It was part of a mini-tour for the New Yorker that took him all the way to Tokyo for a set at the Ruby Room Tokyo. I took a look at the music venue's Instagram page and I suspect it is an expat hang out. Something to keep an eye on should I ever make my way back to Japan for a vacation. He then stayed in Los Angeles for a few days, playing sets at Nalu Vida in Venice and Desert 5 Spot in Hollywood before concluding his visit at Hotel Ziggy.

Jack West at Hotel Ziggy 

Song Spotlight: Ciggy Bop!'s Gentrify (My Soul) (a night at Harvard & Stone)

I first came across the Cigarette Bums in 2010. They were playing a favorite venue at the time called The Blue Star. It resides just north of Vernon and a lonely walking distance from 1720. It was a bar/music venue that eventually closed down. I wrote "it resides" on purpose, because there is still a Blue Star. It is now a dedicated restaurant. I don't know if this is still the case, but underground parties would occur in that area. So you'd see punk rockers slipping into the Blue Star while fashionistas would be making their way to the warehouse party.  

Ciggy Bop! at Harvard & Stone

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): May 31st - Jun 6th

A Handful of Show Alerts 

Sunday, May 31st: The Mastersons at Gold-Diggers. Doors at 7 p.m.
In 2024, the band was part of a Roots Rock tribute night at Zebulon that I covered for US Rocker Music. You can read my review here.

Monday, Jun 1st: 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.

Monday, Jun 1st: Janelane at Zebulon. Doors at 8 p.m.
You can read my Song Spotlight for the band's song "Instincts" here.

 

Wednesday, Jun 3rd: High Tatras and Nightjacket at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 6 p.m.

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

You can read my Song Spotlight for Nightjacket's song "My Only Heart" here.

Thursday, Jun 4th: Chalk Teeth and Dildox at The Escondite. Doors at either 8 p.m. or 9 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for Chalk Teeth's  song "Floor It" here.

In 2025, I covered Dildox at Happy Sundays Long Beach for US Rocker Music, which you can read here.

Thursday, Jun 4th: OP ED at Zebulon. Doors at 7 p.m.

The band made my list of favorite new finds in 2025. You can read that list here. 

Friday, Jun 5th: Madam Bombs at Harvard & Stone. Doors at 8 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for the band's song "Girl with a Fuse" here. 

Song Spotlight: Katelyn Tarver's $82 at Erewhon (a night at The Echoplex)

Katelyn Tarver recently released her third studio album Tell Me How You Really Feel. The album's subject matter is about her divorce and subsequent feelings around it. I got the opportunity to photograph her The Echoplex set for US Rocker Music. You can read the review here. If you're interested in an official review, I would suggest going there.

Katelyn Tarver at The Echoplex

Song Spotlight: Amy Jay's Margins (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

I was trying to figure out if I wanted to head out to a WFNM showcase on either Wednesday or Thursday night. I decided to do some research on Instagram. I went looking at all the artists / bands that were playing those two nights (less the individual I had previously seen) and checked out their Spotify accounts. I got to Amy Jay and took a listen to her music. I don't recall exactly which songs I played, but it was most likely her most listened to songs: "Reliance" and "Sorrow." It was an obvious choice, which night I was selecting. It was going to be Thursday night at Bar Lubitsch. 

Amy Jay at Bar Lubitsch

Song Spotlight: Mr. Dinkles' Eat Chips and Talk Shit (a night at Gold-Diggers)

The Seattle to Los Angeles band Mr. Dinkles blends a young Jane Fonda activism with punctuated punk rock edge. Many of their songs are furious bursts of energy, often clocking in at the 2 minute mark. The two piece band has Mac Rettig on vocals / guitar and Rocco Ramos on drums. 

Mr. Dinkles at Gold-Diggers

Song Spotlight: Silverdeer's Open Mouth (a night at Gold-Diggers)

It was a Friday night and Silverdeer (previously known at Saturn 17) wanted everyone to enjoy the start of the weekend. They played a relatively short 20 minute set to open up the Rocknite showcase at Gold-Diggers, but those minutes were packed with a festive attitude that had the crowd dancing. 

Silverdeer at Gold-Diggers

Song Spotlight: Andrew Benjamin's Healthy Heart (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

Andrew Benjamin (aka Andrew Benjamin Maldonado) took to the Bar Lubitsch stage at the WFNM showcase. He used the opportunity to showcase some niffy guitar playing. He seamlessly would transition between root rock to blues. One moment, he took his guitar to a high pitch level riff that had me thinking Top Gun soundtrack. His song "Vessel" had guitar scratching that had me thinking back to the prom scene in Back to the Future.   

Andrew Benjamin at Bar Lubitsch

Song Spotlight: Sara Jean Kelley's Down, Down, Down (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

A last minute slot opened up at the WFNM's Almost Acoustic Showcase and Nashville based-Sara Jean Kelley jumped in to play the opening set. Bar Lubitsch was filled with friends and family, many hanging out with her dad in the corner of the venue. I overheard that she wasn't sure if he would be able to show up or not, but show up he did.   

Sara Jean Kelley at Bar Lubitsch

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): May 24th - May 30th

A Handful (Bucketful) of Show Alerts

Sunday, May 24th: Downtown/Union at The Fable. Doors at 8 p.m.

I saw the band a couple times back in the day. In Sonic Dreams continues their reunion series of Los Angeles DIY bands.

Sunday, May 24th: Katelyn Tarver at The Echoplex. Doors at 7 p.m.

In 2015, I wrote a little review that you can read here.

Sunday, May 24th: Jagged Baptist Club at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 9 p.m.
You can read my Song Spotlight for the band's song "Temptation Death House" here. 

Monday, May 25th: Bitter Half at Harvard & Stone. Doors at 8 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for the band's song "FY IMY" here

Monday, May 25th: Dave Harrington at Zebulon. Doors at 7 p.m.

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

Tuesday, May 26th: Memo PST at Oblivion. Doors at 7 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for the band's song "I Used To Be A Pretty Boy" here.

Tuesday, May 26th: Valley Queen at Zebulon. Doors at 8 p.m.
You can read my Song Spotlight for the band's "Ride" here.

Wednesday, May 27th: Audrey Lisette at Hotel Ziggy. Doors at 7 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for her song "Take Back the Memories" here.

Thursday, May 28th: Suzy Clue at the Lodge Room. Doors at 7 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for her song "Uneasy" here.

Friday, May 29th: Self Improvement at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 9 p.m.
You can read my Song Spotlight for the band's song "Change My Mind" here.

Saturday, May 30th: Ella Woolsey at the Moroccan Lounge. Doors at 6:30 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for her song "a million" here.

Saturday, May 30th: Mingko at The Smell. Doors at 8:30 p.m.
You can read my Song Spotlight for their song "Get A Job" here.

Saturday, May 30th: Ron Blakely at Hotel Cafe. Doors at 9 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for their song "Tired" here.