Review: Bondo Celebrates Album Release with Tides of Instrumental Ocean Waves

Bondo's guitarist-vocalist Nikolas Escudero looked out into the packed Zebulon room and told everyone that he hoped they all had ear plugs, because it was about to get loud. Zebulon does provide free ear plugs so those who wished had the opportunity to protect their hearing. When they started out their set, they did indeed blast out the walls. A projector screen was behind the band and shown on it were grainy images of the Pacific Ocean, palm trees, sand, and lights that looked like either cars lights, the setting sun, or UFOs. The night was their release party of their self titled album Bondo.

Bondo at Zebulon

Song Spotlight: Rio Lane's Why Why Why (a night at Hotel Ziggy)

Rio Lane (Rio Lane Bonney) recently attended the Jesse Jo Stark night at The Roxy. A couple months later, she returned to the Sunset Strip to play Hotel Ziggy (a WFNM showcase). Per her Spotify bio, her music is "a mix of catchy pop punk and disco elements." Armed with a smart phone holding her tracks, Rio channeled the sultry vocals of Jesse Jo Stark while steering her music in her own direction. 

Rio Lane at Hotel Ziggy

Song Spotlight: Shonen Knife's SUSHI BAR SONG (a night at The United Theater on Broadway)

Prior to a couple months before Shonen Knife's set at The United Theater on Broadway, I was unaware of the band. Their PR reached out to me and asked if I was interested in covering the set. Even though I had never heard of the band, I was immediately interested. It was driven by two reasons. First, they're a Japanese band and I'm of Japanese heritage. Second, they were rocking out with Toad the Wet Sprocket and Men at Work. Those are two bands that are familiar to me. In fact, Toad the Wet Sprocket's music makes up the soundtrack of my youth. 

Shonen Knife at The United Theater on Broadway

Review: Livingmore Dials Up Their Friends at The Echo

Livingmore is splitting time between Los Angeles and Japan. They're currently hanging out in Los Angeles for a few more weeks before they fly back to Japan. I saw them back in late June for their self titled Livingmore record release party and then I got to catch them again this past Saturday at The Echo. For what could be described as their going away party, they put together a line-up that warmed my heart. On this day, the calendar was flipped back to pre-2020 venue closures: the night was held at The Echo and I have a long history with everyone that was on the line-up. 

Livingmore at The Echo

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): Aug 23rd - Aug 29th

A Handful (Bucketful) of Show Alerts 

Sunday, Aug 23rd: Maryjo with Kyra Fields at the Moroccan Lounge. Doors at 6:30 p.m.
I wrote a Song Spotlight for Maryjo's song "Don't Call Me" back in 2025.
In 2025, I wrote a review of Kyra Field's set at Hotel Ziggy.

Sunday, Aug 23rd: Powder Pink & Sweet at The Woodbridge. Doors at 7:30 p.m.

I wrote a Song Spotlight for their song "Raspberry Lime" back in February.

 

Monday, Aug 24th: Johnny Majestic at The Escondite. Doors at 8 p.m.

I wrote a Song Spotlight for the band's song "Weep All Over" back in February.

Tuesday, Aug 25th: Cha$e 13 and Mila Rubina at Revolver Video Bar. Doors at 7 p.m.

I wrote a Song Spotlight for Cha$e 13's other project X. ARI's song "Vicious" back in 2025.

I wrote a Song Spotlight for Mila Rubina's song "No One Compares" just this month.

Thursday, Aug 26th: 16 Underground at Oblivion. Doors at 7 p.m.

Earlier this year, I wrote a review of their set for US Rocker Music. 

Thursday, Aug 27th: The Groans at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 6 p.m.

In 2025, I wrote a review of the band when they played at The Escondite. 

Thursday, Aug 27th: The What Four at Maui Sugar Mill Saloon. Doors at 8 p.m.

In 2015, I wrote a review of The What Four's set.

Friday, Aug 28th: Mini Trees at Sid the Cat Auditorium. Doors at 8 p.m.

In 2021, I wrote a review of a set for Buzzbands. 

Friday, Aug 28th: Nick Waterhouse at Zebulon. Doors at 7 p.m.

In 2019, I covered his set at Glendale Open Arts & Music Fest for Buzzbands. 

Friday, Aug 28th: The Groans at The Redwood Bar. Doors at 8 p.m.

The band is busy this week (playing Thursday, as well).

Friday, Aug 28th:UGHH at Alex's Bar. Doors at 8 p.m. 

In 2025, I wrote a review of their set.

Saturday, Aug 29th: Generacion Suicida with support from Crisis Actor at Zebulon. Doors at 7 p.m.
In 2025, I covered Generacion Suicida when they played Happy Sundays for US Rocker Music.
In 2025, I wrote a review of Crisis Actor playing at Old Towne Pub.

Friday - Sunday, Aug 28th-Aug 30th: Echo Park Rising. 

Too many good bands to mention.

Song Spotlight: Dominique Matelson's Hop (a night at Zebulon)

Over a month had passed since I last went to Zebulon. That was a long gap and it needed to end. I noticed that there was a free night that featured Dominique Matelson. She was celebrating the upcoming release of her third studio album The Difficult Way. I had never seen her before. Nor had I heard of the other two singers that were in support. Did that give me any pause about going? Of course, not. It instead piqued my interested. 

Dominique Matelson at Zebulon

Song Spotlight: Easae's Dear God (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

Palindrome singer Easae (moniker for Marissa Barbalato) took to the Bar Lubitsch stage for a WFNM showcase night. This was my third time catching a set. I saw a couple sets in 2024 at Hotel Ziggy. Of course, I had to take a look and listen to those prior performances. My amusing take on what I noticed as being different between 2024 and 2026? For both 2024 sets, she did an old school MTV Unplugged performance where she was sitting on a high chair. This time around, the high chair was gone. It meant that those vocals came out all the more powerful.

Easae at Bar Lubitsch

Song Spotlight: Dolly Creamer's Gatekeeper (a night at Zebulon)

Prior to coming onto the Zebulon stage, Dolly Creamer (lead by Sarah Rebecca Harris) had a group hug. Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back in Town" boomed from the speakers. It seemed appropriate as the band spent early July doing a 9 stop tour in Alaska. I think a good first assumption would be that the band has an affinity for nature. Maybe that was the impetus for doing the tour, but Harris later admitted, "I realized in Alaska that I'm just not that outdoorsy. Here, you can be outdoorsy, but you don't have to be."  

Dolly Creamer at Zebulon

Song Spotlight: Mila Rubina's No One Compares (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

What lifestyle will Mila Rubina's kids have? "MY KIDS WILL BE NEPO BABIES," she boldly proclaims on her Instagram page. Based on her Bar Lubitsch (a WFNM showcase) performance, she's on her way to settling up her kids for generational wealth. Is there a playfulness to that proclamation? She is the "world's only natural yellow haired" individual so that provides a clue.

Mila Rubina at Bar Lubitsch

Song Spotlight: Johanna Samuels' Circles (a night at Zebulon)

I first crossed paths with Johanna Samuels in 2018. The first two encounters were at the Bootleg Theater. The first encounter was when she was opening up for The Wild Reeds and Allie Buckley (it was her residency night). Later on that year, she had her own residency at the venue. I caught her again in 2019 and then venues shut down. It took a few years, but I crossed paths with her once again for her 2023 album release party that I covered for Buzzbands. The night was held at Zebulon. Fast forward to 2026 and I noticed that she was having a record release party for her third studio album Sorry, Kid. It was also being held at Zebulon (a Sid the Cat night). Buzzbands has gone into semi-retirement mode so I covered this particular night for US Rocker Music. You can read that review if you so wish.

Johanna Samuels at Zebulon

Song Spotlight: Pillow Fight's Jean Said (a night at The Airliner Bar)

Pillow Fight didn't bring any pillows to Rocknite's showcase at The Airliner Bar, but their lo-fi, garage rock set more than entertained. I have to say that lead singer-guitarist Adam Stafford made the move of the night by reaching up to a stage light and angling it from stage-center to stage-left. The reason it was the move of the night was because all three bands featured co-lead vocalists and all three bands avoided the middle of the stage. So it helped out the photographers (there were three of us out on this particular night) for the whole night.

Pillow Fight at The Airliner Bar

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): Aug 16th - Aug 22nd

A Handful of Show Alerts 

Sunday, Aug 16th: Harry Katz and the Pistachios at Alex's Bar. Doors at 2 p.m.

In 2025, I wrote a review of their set.

Sunday, Aug 16th: Nail Polish at Alex's Bar. Doors at 9 p.m.

I wrote a Song Spotlight for their song "Haunted Spells" back in January. 

Sunday, Aug 16th: UGHH at Gold-Diggers. Doors at 7 p.m.
In 2025, I wrote a review of their set.

Wednesday, Aug 19th: Ben Reddell and The What Four at The Escondite. Doors at 8 p.m.

I wrote a Song Spotlight for Ben Reddell's song "Tumbleweed" back in 2025.

In 2025, I wrote a review of The What Four's set.

Wednesday, Aug 19th: Sizzy Rocket at The Echo. Doors at 7 p.m.

In 2018, I wrote a review of their set.

Thursday, Aug 20th: Primitive Ring at Alex's Bar. Doors at 8 p.m.

In 2024, I wrote a review of their set.

Thursday, Aug 20th: Pu$$y Cow at The Escondite. Doors at 9:45 p.m.

In 2025, I wrote a review of their 20th Anniversary Party that was held at The Escondite.

Saturday, Aug 22nd: Livingmore with Child Seat, Dream Phases, and Andrea at The Echo. Doors at 7 p.m.

I recently wrote a review of Livingmore's set.

In 2024, I covered Child Seat for US Rocker Music. 

I wrote a Song Spotlight for Dream Phases' song "Turn Away" back in 2025.

Andrea is the brainchild of Emma Cole who I've followed for years.

Song Spotlight: Jenny O's Lazy Jane (a night at Zebulon)

Music that you hear when in high school or college is encoded into your being. I was past my college years when I started to hang out in the Los Angeles music scene all those many years ago and yet I feel like certain bands just stand out in my memory. In those very first years, there was Automatic Music Explosion and The Mulhollands. Shortly after that, there was Queen Kwong and Rocket. Those were all pop-punk-rock bands. Then the Americana wave (the precursor to the current country wave) hit Los Angeles and I got swept up in that via Eastern Conference Champions (Mondo Cozmo), Honey Honey and Local Natives. Jenny O was part of that wave of music. Many of the mentioned bands have long called it quits. Jenny O is still going strong and putting out music that has you (or maybe just me) getting misty eyed.    

Jenny O at Zebulon