Song Spotlight: Essencer's So Long (a night at The Goldfish)

The Rocknite LA showcase at The Goldfish recently had Essencer on their schedule. I've been following the Lee Jenkins (vocalist and bassist) and Alec Nelson (guitarist) founded band since 2022. One might say Essencer has only been around since 2024, but back in 2022 there was a band called Wizard Puffs that crossed my radar when I went to Highland Park Bowl (they used to have bands playing in a side room) to catch Diva and the Pearly Gates. Nelson kept playing a recording of a voice-over saying "Wizard Puffs" and Jenkins would start cracking up. I figured they were a dreamy-eccentric pop band.   

Essencer at The Goldfish

Song Spotlight: Taylor Jules' All Time Low (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

Taylor Jules took to the Bar Lubitsch stage for a WFNM showcase in front of a significant crowd of friends and family (from what I could tell). She was the first artist of the night and I missed perhaps half of her opening song "Real Love." As I maneuvered my way to the front of the stage to take my photos of her and her band, I came to an immediate conclusion, "Taylor has big time vocals." The night was to celebrate her debut EP The Good The Bad and The Ugliest that was being released the following night, February 27th.  

Taylor Jules at Bar Lubitsch

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): Mar 15th - Mar 21st

A Handful (Bucketful) of Show Alerts 

Monday, Mar 16th: Donna, Host Family, and Mo Dotti at El Cid. Doors at 7 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for Donna's "burn, Pt. 2" here.

You can read my song spotlight for Host Family's  "Dromedary" here.

You can read my song spotlight for Mo Dotti's "dead to me" here.

Monday, Mar 16th: Jessy Fury at Hotel Cafe. Doors at 8 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for his "Heaven" here. This is a Monday Monday night so it will be a short set.

Tuesday, Mar 17th: Julez and the Rollerz at Gold-Diggers. Doors at 7 p.m.
You can read my song spotlight for their "Call Me Up" here.

Tuesday, Mar 17th: PAGOTO at the Redwood Bar. Doors at 8 p.m.

In 2024, I did a review of their record release party set, which you can read here.

Wednesday, Mar 18th: Witch Post at El Cid. Doors at 8 p.m.

Alaska Reid's new band. In 2019, I covered her Echo Park Rising set for Buzzbands, which  you can read here. 

Thursday, Mar 19th: Crisis Actor at Harvard & Stone. Doors at 8 p.m.
In 2025, I did a review of their set, which you can read here.

Thursday, Mar 19th: Meth Math at The Echoplex. Doors at 8 p.m.

In 2024, I did a review of their set for US Rocker Music, which you can read here.

Friday, Mar 20th: El Colmo at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 9 p.m.

In 2024, I did a review of their set for US Rocker Music, which you can read here.

Friday, Mar 20th: Matt Axton at the Bigfoot Lodge. Doors at 9 p.m.

Read my song spotlight for his "Golden Times" here.

Friday, Mar 20th: Mike Watt at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 6 p.m.

In 2024, I covered his Happy Sundays Long Beach set for US Rocker Music, which you can read here.

Friday, Mar 20th: Pink Stiletto at The Slipper Clutch. Doors at 8 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for her "Agent AF" here.

Saturday, Mar 21st: Simi at The Viper Room. Doors at 5:30 p.m.

Hannah Simi Hughes' new project. You can read my song spotlight for her "Stranger With My Secret" here.

Song Spotlight: JESSA's Half Naked (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

JESSA (Jessa Hadik's mononymous name) took to the Bar Lubitsch stage for the WFNM showcase, bringing along her broken hearted emotions, "I'm not singing about all my happy, heartfelt, amazing . . . whatever. I've dealt with a lot of heartbreak." Those feelings were expressed via pop / R&B vibes.

JESSA at Bar Lubitsch

Song Spotlight: Living Hour's Big Shadow (a night at Zebulon)

Living Hour joined The Pains of Being Pure at Heart for a mini-tour along the West Coast, which included a sold out show at The Echoplex. They ended their coastal tour with a secret performance at the Rocknite showcase at Zebulon. I guess it wasn't totally secret, it was announced the day before Rocknite. It wasn't last minute either, due to the fact that Rocknite mentioned there would be a secret guest. I suppose the correct definition is that the set announcement was under embargo due to their The Echoplex performance.  

Living Hour at Zebulon

Review: Modern Cult brings Miami mystique to Zebulon

Rocknite did what they do best: highlighted to me a brand new band that thrilled on stage. On a Tuesday night at Zebulon, the first band of the night was Modern Cult. From what I can tell via social media, this Miami based band is so new that they were only playing their second show ever. 

Modern Cult at Zebulon

Song Spotlight: Gilbert Louie Ray's What I Have Left (a night at the Bigfoot Lodge)

I didn't get to catch the January version of the Americana Joy showcase at the Bigfoot Lodge. I decided I would just have to head over in February. It helped that Gilbert Louie Ray was scheduled to perform. Before heading off to the Bigfoot Lodge, I just couldn't help myself and took off to Zebulon to catch Cissi TV (a band that made my list of favorite new finds of 2025). As soon as their set ended, it was a 2 mile drive over to the Bigfoot Lodge. From art punk to Americana country -- that's just how I do things when it comes to the LA music scene. 

Gilbert Louis Ray at the Bigfoot Lodge

Song Spotlight: Dama Blake's Mr. Right (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

Dama Blake (the moniker for Jessica Harper) looked both classic 1920s and modern 2020s during her WFNM showcase at Bar Lubitsch. This was my second time catching a set. Back in September 2025, she performed an acoustic set at Hotel Ziggy. I considered writing up a blog post at that time, but I hesitated as her setlist was unreleased material and her sound differed from her released material. I was uncertain if she was shifting directions or not. I was impressed enough that I made a mental note to catch a set in the future. 

Dama Blake at Bar Lubitsch

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): Mar 8th - Mar 14th

A Handful (Bucketful) of Show Alerts

Sunday, Mar 8th: Blimp at The Haven. Doors at 7 p.m.
In 2024, I covered Blimp for US Rocker Music, which you can read here.

Sunday, Mar 8th: UGHH at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 9 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for the band's "Sundays are for Jumping" here.

Monday, Mar 9th: Maejoy at Hotel Cafe. Doors at 6:30 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for her "Blueberry Lemonade" here. 

Monday, Mar 9th: Meels at The Roxy. Doors at 7 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for her "Falcon and the Loon" here. 

Tuesday, Mar 10th: Host Family at The Airliner. Doors at 7 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for the band's "Dromedary" here.

Wednesday, Mar 11th: Lasers Lasers Birmingham at Harvard & Stone. Doors at 8 p.m.
In 2021, I made mention of his set during a Week of Music review I did, which you can read here.

Wednesday, Mar 11th: Neska Rose at Hotel Cafe. Set time at 7 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for her "Very Green" here.

Thursday, Mar 12th: Morgan Nagler at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 6 p.m.

I've been following Morgan Nagler since Whispertown2000 (probably since 2009).

Saturday, Mar 14th: Child Seat at Gold-Diggers. Doors at 7 p.m.

In 2024, I covered the band for US Rocker Music, which you can read here. 

Saturday, Mar 14th: Jawdropped at Oblivion. Doors at 6 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for the band's "Skully" here.

Saturday, Mar 14th: Maryjo at The Roxy. Doors at 7 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for her "Don't Call Me" here.

Song Spotlight: June Swoon's Denver (a night at The Goldfish)

I first came across June Swoon (the moniker for Juliana Kay Lydell) at an outdoor DIY music festival called Big Top at someone's back yard in 2021. It was one of the first music events I attended post-early 2020. You can read my review of that afternoon-night here. If I'm not mistaken, all the bands that played that festival are still active, which I find is an interesting footnote. Our paths crossed again in 2024 and then recently at Rocknite's showcase at The Goldfish where they closed out the night that included Sour Tongue and Slugs. 

June Swoon at The Goldfish