Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): Jun 7th - Jun 13th

A Handful (bucketful) of Show Alerts

Sunday, Jun 7th: Dave Harrington at the Lodge Room. Doors at 7 p.m.

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

Sunday, Jun 7th: Whitney Tai at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 6 p.m.

I recently wrote a review of a set, which you can read here.

Monday, Jun 8th: Dylan Rodrigue at Club Tee Gee. Doors at 8 p.m.
Read my Song Spotlight for his song "Pink Balloon" here. 

Tuesday, Jun 9th: Blue Wistaria and Dreyted at Oblivion. Doors at 9 p.m.

Read my Song Spotlight for the Blue Wistaria's song "Members Only" here.

I recently wrote a review of Dreyted's set, which you can read here.

Tuesday, Jun 9th: Primitive Ring at Zebulon. Doors at 8 p.m.

In 2024, I wrote a review of the band, which you can read here.

Tuesday, Jun 9th: Brookelen at The Fable. 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.

Wednesday, Jun 10th: Blue Wistaria at The Airliner Bar. Doors at 7 p.m.

They're doing a double shift this week with their show on Tuesday, as well.

Wednesday, Jun 10th: Lilliana Villines at Healing Force of the Universe Records. Doors at 8 p.m.

Read my Song Spotlight for her song "yours" here. 

Wednesday, Jun 10th: Sister Gemini at Gold-Diggers. Doors at 7 p.m.

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

Thursday, Jun 11th: Dutch East Indians at Zebulon. Doors at 8 p.m.

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

In 2023, I covered Lauren Lakis for US Rocker Music, which you can read here.

Thursday, Jun 11th: Sierra Spirit at The Airliner Bar. Doors at 7 p.m.

In 2024, I covered a Sierra Spirit set for US Rocker Music, which you can read here.

Friday, Jun 12th: Buckets and Lauren Lakis at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 9 p.m.

Read my song spotlight for Buckets' song "Judy" here.

Friday, Jun 12th: Mingko at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 6 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for their song "Get A Job" here.

Friday, Jun 12th: The Mormons at Harvard & Stone. Doors at 8 p.m.

I always have fond memories of seeing this band playing outside music festivals as fans were heading home.

Song Spotlight: J Laconn's Church (Speaking In Tongues) (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

It was a fun night at Bar Lubitsch for the WFNM showcase night. The night included a backing band that played for the singers on the bill: keyboard, bass, drums. It allowed for rapid switch-overs from singer to singer and let everyone perform with a full band. Also, on specific tunes for each performer, Sean Kellz came up on stage to play the saxophone. 

J Laconn at Bar Lubitsch

Song Spotlight: Slotcar's exacto (a night at The Airliner Bar)

A thunderous start is how one would describe Slotcar's set at The Airliner Bar for the Rocknite showcase. Drummer Daniel Bermudez hit the drum kit so hard that the floor shook. The three piece band also includes guitarist-vocalist Frankie Provenzano and bassist Elliot Rick. Provenzano's vocals punctuated every beat.  The band's sound combines influences from shoegaze to alternative rock to punk rock that had the crowd pressed close to the stage and throughout the set chanting out, "Slotcar! Slotcar! Slotcar!" 

Slotcar at The Airliner Bar

Song Spotlight: Mossybot's HYTI (a night at The Airliner)

The three piece band Mossybot has a dual personality. How so? Guitar and drum duties were shared between two of the band members with the one playing guitar stepped into the lead vocals role. It led to two distinct sounds during the thirty minute set at The Airliner Bar (a Rocknite showcase night). The first half of the set was driven by raw vocals that swayed the band in the alternative rock direction. The band had a machine like efficiency during that half, softened with a touch of the ambient. Then the switched between the drummer and guitarist occurred. The music went much heavier, fueled by aggression. Screaming vocals were a necessity. 

Mossybot at The Airliner Bar

No matter the version of the band, they highlighted their instrumental composition skills. To end the set, they went on a metal-psychedelic instrumental riff that would make L.A. Witch proud. The Rocknite crowd definitely appreciated the 3 minute ending to the set as a mosh pit broke out. 

Mossybot at The Airliner Bar

Comment of the set: "Bring it all in. We're all friends here." 

The band played their first show in early 2025 so they're a relatively new band. On this night, they were mainly testing out new material. The song spotlight goes to "HYTI" that was released as part of their four song debut EP Fissure. (I'm just making a guess that HYTI is short-hand for "How you take it.") The song was part of the first half of the set so it had those raw vocals with a double dose ambient sounds that created a brooding atmosphere. The song has a hint of Depeche Mode that cuts open wide  the emotional scars of a breakup.

Mossybot at The Airliner Bar

It's up to you
Just how you take it

Setlist: Omelas, Talent, HYTI, Diver, Sky King, Informatica, Burn.

Song Spotlight: Sean Fleming's Love Crimes (a night at the Bigfoot Lodge)

I've crossed paths with Sean Fleming a couple times in the past. I first came across him in 2021 at the Silverlake Lounge when The Little Miss was celebrating her birthday party. A year later, he was playing The Echo along side Night Talks. When I noticed he was playing the Americana Joy showcase at the Bigfoot Lodge, I decided I'd make the walk over to catch a third set. Yeah, that's right, I walked over there. It is about a 3 mile round trip to get the blood going on a Friday night. 

Sean Fleming at the Bigfoot Lodge

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