Song Spotlight: Theo Moss' Shotgun (a night at The Airliner Bar)

Okay, sometimes my brain gets tossed for a loop. That is what happened when Theo Moss (moniker for Sam Valdez) took to the stage at the It's A School Night (hosted by KCRW and Make Out Music) showcase at The Airliner Bar. I remembered the name Theo Moss as I saw a snippet of a set at last year's Echo Park Rising (I was an official photographer so was just rushing around shooting as many bands as possible). If I recall correctly, she was playing the final chords of her last song and at that time I just didn't think about connecting the dots to the past. At The Airliner Bar, I finally got more than a few seconds of a song and my brain was telling me that I'd seen Theo Moss way before 2025. But how was that possible? Then as I was doing some research for this article, I had to slap my forehead. Theo Moss is Sam Valdez's new project. Duh. 

Theo Moss at The Airliner Bar

Song Spotlight: Ella Woolsey's a million (a night at El Cid)

I think a general conclusion can be made when heading out to your local venue such as El Cid: if the opening act has people packing the front of the stage way before the set time, you're in for a special set. That is what I experienced prior to Ella Woolsey (the moniker for Ella Carlson) taking to the stage. Her fans packed the front of the stage and I could feel the buzz of excitement. A number of people had already bought her merchandise. 

Ella Woolsey at El Cid

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): May 17th - May 23rd

A Handful of Show Alerts 

Sunday May 17th: Bee Appleseed and Fleece Kawasaki at The Smell. Doors at 6:30 p.m.

I don't believe I've seen Bee Appleseed perform, but he is part of the uniquely interesting Elf Freedom. I took a photo of the band at Echo Park Rising 2023 and you can find the photo on Buzzbands if you scroll through the gallery.

You can read my Song Spotlight for Fleece Kawasaki's song "Sea of Regret" here.

Sunday, May 17th: Johanna Samuels at Gold-Diggers. Doors at 7 p.m.

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

Monday, May 18th: Essenger at the Moroccan Lounge. Doors at 6:30 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for his song "After Dark" here.

Monday, May 18th: Jamie Drake, Luci, and Madeleine Mayi at Hotel Cafe. Doors at 8 p.m.

In 2025, I wrote a review of a showcase that featured Jamie Drake, which you can read here.

In a recent Hotel Cafe review, I made mention of Luci (which I've followed for years), which you can read here.

Madeleine Mayi made my list of favorite finds of 2024, which you can read here.

Tuesday, May 19th: Peggy at The Roxy. Doors at 7 p.m.

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

Wednesday, May 20th: Swimming Bell at Healing Force of the Universe. Doors at 8 p.m.

You can read my Song Spotlight for her song "95 at Night" here.

Thursday, May 21st: Buckets and Soft Palms at Alex's Bar. Doors at 8 p.m.

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

Read my song spotlight for the Soft Palms' song "Rainbows" here.

Friday, May 22nd thru Monday, May 25th: Arroyo Secodelic Festival in Highland Park. Numerous bands are playing that I've covered.

Song Spotlight: Ben Krieger's moment (a night at Bar Lubitsch)

Singer-songwriter Ben Krieger was the highlight of the WFNM Almost Acoustic Showcase at Bar Lubitsch. To start off the set, he played with upbeat "rockstar!" He was initially going to play that song later in his set, but he must have noticed that the crowd was distracted in their conversations. He wanted to catch their attention and he definitely did. After finishing the song, he said he figured "it would be super cool if I just started playing a riff and then everyone just looked up."  

Ben Krieger at Bar Lubitsch

Song Spotlight: Charlie Havenick's Stop It (a night at Permanent Records Roadhouse)

Charlie Havenick was the opening band at a recent Permanent Records Roadhouse night. This was my first time coming across her fronting her own band, but not my first time crossing paths with the musician. Back in 2024, she was playing drums for My Veronica (at the same venue), which made my list of favorite new finds of the year (you can check out that list here and look for her on the drums). I didn't make that connection until writing up this review, but it does explain why I enjoyed her set. Her Spotify bio describes her music as "indie rock and slowcore aesthetics rage against folky, orchestral sincerity." I think that description could apply to My Veronica, as well.

Charlie Havenick at Permanent Records Roadhouse

Review: Starling's Experimental Fanbase Packs The Cat's Crawl (with Dreyted, Finnish Postcard and Total Wife)

Back in March, Gravity Bookings sent me an Instagram message with an invite to head out to The Cat's Crawl to catch a showcase he was hosting. I wasn't able to make it as I was shooting a show in DTLA, but I kept the invite in mind. On Mother's Day night (I did take my mother out to lunch, I didn't ignore her), I noticed that he was hosting another showcase at the venue that include three bands I had previously seen before (Dreyted, Finnish Postcard, and Starling) and another band that was new to me (Total Wife). I knew this was going to be a good night of music.

Starling at The Cat's Crawl

Song Spotlight: I'll show you magic's Feel You (a night at Zebulon)

I'll show you magic (moniker for Eva Smittle) was the opening band for the Rocknite showcase at Zebulon. When Smittle took to the stage, my mind immediate did a two decade flashback. Her look (especially her hair style) had me immediately writing down on my phone's docs app: Monsters are Waiting. That was a band fronted by Annalee Fery. I believe I only saw the band 2 or 3 times, but I continued to follow Fery via her next project Lonely Trees. Where is Fery currently? I did an Internet search and the last info I could find dates back 7 years when she posted a music video under the band name King Lee. 

I'll show you magic at Zebulon

Song Spotlight: Katrina Weissman's Sunday (a night at The Fable)

Looking as if she was more than eager for a summer Sunday to arrive, Katrina Weissman closed out the night at the Ryan Pollie showcase at The Fable. For me, this was my first time crossing paths with her. One thing I like to do when writing up a blog post about someone I'm crossings paths with for the first time is to see who they've played with in the past. I like to see if there are any six (two) degrees of separation type situations. There are definitely connections here. Over the years, she's shared the stage with Brookelen, LINNEA, and Sarah Once Was. And as I'm writing this and before this article goes to press, she was going to share the stage with Sharon Silva (all four hyperlinks are to articles I've written about those artists). 

Katrina Weissman at The Fable

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): May 10th - May 16th

A Handful (Massive) of Show Alerts 

Sunday, May 10th: Leroy From The North at The Echo. Doors at 5:30 p.m.

Read my review of a recent set here

Sunday, May 10th: MacGregor Burns at Old Towne Pub. Doors at 8 p.m.

Read my Song Spotlight for his song "Paradise Motel" here.

Sunday, May 10th: Chalk Teeth at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 9 p.m.

Read my Song Spotlight for the band's song "Floor It" here.

Sunday, May 10th: Dreyted and Starling at The Cat's Crawl. Doors at 7 p.m.

Read my recent review of Dreyted's set here. 

Read my song spotlight for Starling's song "Bottlebrush Tree" here.

Monday, Jan 19th: Broadway B at Hotel Cafe (Monday Monday). Doors at 8 p.m.

In 2023, I covered Broadway B at November Haze for US Rocker Music, you can read that article here.

Monday, May 11th: Rocco DeLuca at Zebulon. Doors at 8 p.m.
In 2025, I wrote a review of his Zebulon set, which you can read here.

Monday, May 11th: Ron Blakely at Bar Lubitsch. Doors at 7 p.m.

Read my Song Spotlight for their song "Tired" here.

Wednesday, May 13th: Austin Manuel at Gold-Diggers. Doors at 7 p.m.

Read my Song Spotlight for his "Twenty Hundred Miles Away" here.

Wednesday, May 13th:  Maejoy at Hotel Cafe (second stage). Doors at 9 p.m.

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

Wednesday, May 13th: Noël Tsoukalas at Hotel Ziggy. Doors at 7 p.m.

Read my Song Spotlight for her song "Pull the Plug" here. 

Thursday, May 14th: Dante Elephante at The Airliner Bar. Doors at 7 p.m.

In 2022, I wrote a review of his set for Buzzbands, which you can read  here.

Friday, May 15th: Caravan 222 and Dream Phases at Non Plus Ultra. Doors at 8 p.m.

In 2025, I wrote a review of Caravan 222's set, which you can read here.

You can read my Song Spotlight for Dream Phases' song "Turn Away" here.

Friday, May 15th: MacGregor Burns at The Escondite. Doors at 8 p.m.

You have two chances to catch him (also playing on Sunday).

Friday, May 15th: Matt Axton at the Bigfoot Lodge. Doors at 8 p.m.

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

Friday, May 15th: Polartropica at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 6 p.m.

I've followed the band for years and recently made mention of the band here.

Friday, May 15th: Double Wish at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 9 p.m.

In 2021, the band played, I believe, the first live music show ever at The Goldfish. I covered the night for Buzzbands, which you can read here.

Friday, May 15th: Jordana at Lodge Room. Doors at 7 p.m.

Read my Song Spotlight for her song "Still Do" here.

Saturday, May 16th: Dengue Fever at Gold-Diggers. Doors at 7 p.m.

In 2017, I caught this band at the Music Taste Good festival in Long Beach. You can read about that festival here.

Song Spotlight: Mingko's Get A Job (a night at Zebulon)

Mingko (moniker for Abigail Zachko) played before a packed Zebulon crowd. And why not, it was a Rocknite showcase night. Zachko mentioned during the set that this was only their second time playing in Los Angeles. Prior to their move to Los Angeles, they attended the Berklee College of Music. Their website bio has some additional background. In Boston, they used to be in the band Ski Club and there is this quote associated with the band, "As a songwriter for the band, Abigail’s intricate and innovative compositions have helped define the group’s unique sound."

Mingko at Zebulon