A Movie Review: It's Kind of a Funny Story

It's Kind of a Funny Story. Though I thought the actors in this movie did a great job (Keir Gilchrist, Emma Roberts and Zach Galifianakis), I just can’t recommend this movie. Maybe I was just too tired while watching it, it being a Sunday evening. I just don’t think the movie really went anywhere. You’re in a medical ward, you find young love, you have people with fears and mental disorders, whatever, was there really any serious story line? It just didn’t work for me. Sorry. I’m not even sure I believed that Keir Gilchrist and Emma Roberts really liked each other – even though if I were Craig (Keir Gilchrist), I’d be head over heels in love with Noelle (Emma Roberts). And for some reason, I just didn’t buy the friendship that developed between Craig and Bobby (Zach Galifianakis).

Lucy Schwartz and The Fling at Satellite/Spaceland

If was off to Satellite/Spaceland to check out Lucy Schwartz and The Fling.

A friend and I are big fans of Lucy Schwartz and so it was a guarantee that we were heading out to Satellite on a recent Monday night.

Comment one: I see I have some werewolf friends out there tonight.

Comment two (after singing Graveyard): Thank you for the spooky light show.

Interesting note it that she grew up with the Belle Brigade siblings.

I do believe she won over the crowd. Of course, I'm not sure how she couldn't.

A couple of the members from Raining Jane backed her up on stage. And I guess you could say the audience played the backup role for one song.

I stuck around for The Fling. As my friend noted, they have a late 70s sound. They rocked the last three songs of their set.

I wasn't able to stick around for Belle Brigade, but as we were leaving Satellite there was one long line of folks wanting to get inside. I'm not sure all of them made it inside. Based on my previous visit to Satellite, they are well worth seeing.


Lucy Schwartz









The Fling

Canage Asada, Million Kids and Hidden at Mr. T's Bowl

It was off to Mr T's Bowl to catch some bands Carnage Asada, Million Kids and Hidden.

The night focused in on Hidden. I've never seen them before, but I was informed that this was a re-union show and that this band played the scene in the early 2000s. They gave close to a 1 hr set. Carnage Asada was the first band up. You've got to love a punk band with a cello. Million Kids gave an enthusiastic performance.

Carnage Asada







Million Kids







Hidden

Belle Brigade, The Fling and Francisco the Man at Spaceland/Satellite

It was off to Spaceland/Satellite to see the dual residency bands of The Fling and The Belle Brigade. I also caught part of Francisco the Man. I knew there was going to be a line to get into Spaceland/Satellite. I'd seen it while driving by the previous Monday at 10 p.m. I just didn't realize I'd be waiting in line at 9:15 p.m. I did get to catch about half of Francisco the Man's set.

The Belle Brigade gave one cool set. At first, I wasn't totally into the music, but as soon as thier lead singer start bouncing all over the stage, I was sold. Just before one song, they invited a friend to model their t-shirts. He went up and then decided to stick around for one song to provide some interpretative dancing. He just stood there for about a minute, but than when the lead singer decided to dance with him, he went wild and the crowd went wild with him.

Of the times I've been to Spaceland on a Monday night, this felt like the first time the place has been "sold out" for awhile. The Fling and The Belle Brigade do have a following.

Francisco the Man





The Fling









Belle Brigade

A Movie Review: Megamind

Megamind. Okay, let’s get it out of the way, Roxanne Ritchi has to be one of the sexist female cartoon characters ever created.

Now with that out of the way, this was a fun movie. Yes, it has a similar theme as Despicable Me. Yet, it holds its own as a great cartoon movie.

Basic storyline starts with a Superman beginning, but this time with two babies sent off to earth: Megamind and Metro Man. Metro Man is good, while Megamind turns evil. When Megamind finally kills Metro Man (not so fast, of course), he gets to rule the city. Of course, he finds that being evil isn’t a very good trait. And so he slowly starts to realize that he needs to pivot towards being good. And in the end, yes, he gets to win the heart of one of the sexist cartoon characters ever.

Roses Pawn Shop and Old Man Markley at The Echo

This is a little dated. I went to the Echo on a Thursday night for Old Man Markley's album release party. Roses Pawn Shop was one of the bands that opened for them. It was a great night of bluegrass mixed in with punk rock. One can't complain -- though I do have a complaint. Why did the woman in front of me decide that it was her right to do a personal mosh pit with me as her partner? She had friends around her. Most pit with friends, not strangers.

Roses Pawn Shop



Old Man Markley

Kiev and Kinch @ Silverlake Lounge

As everyone appeared to be over at Satellite/Spaceland (I drove pass on my way) on Monday night, I was off to Silverlake Lounge to catch Kiev and Kinch. It was a great evening of music.

Kiev is definitely a band I'd like to catch again. They mentioned that they're doing the February residency at Cinespace on Sundays. I'll need to catch them there.

Comment of the night: You have one good song and then some sh*t goes wrong on stage.

Kinch is from Phoenix. They gave one energetic set. Looking at their website, they have four residencies going on this month. Crazy. Two in California and the others in Phoenix.

Noticed: I am assuming that this individual is a friend of Kinch and was from Arizona, as well. She was re-charging her smart phone while watching the band. She gave it about a 40 minute re-charge.


Kiev

Kinch

The Americans at Villains

I was off to Villains for a birthday party. I caught The Americans while there. They played at least two different sets, perhaps more after I left. During their first set some of my friends were dancing to their music. During the second set, they had a nice crowd around them. As is implied by their name, their sound is rooted in America's past. For the night, they tossed in some Elvis Presley songs to celebrate his birthday.

Local Natives on Fallon.

One of my favorite local bands, Local Natives, hit the airwaves on Jimmy Fallon recently. Enjoy.

Act As If and The New Assembly at Silverlake Lounge

It was off to Silverlake Lounge to catch Act As If and The New Assembly. Act As If had a most awesome set. I was really enamored with this group. They seem to follow in the same vain of music as The Lonely Wild and The Monthlies. The New Assembly hit the stage next. Very intense interest in getting their light show set up just perfect. For one song, the lead singer's microphone shut off. You have to give him props for singer through it until the sound guy was able to fix it. As can be noticed from the photos below, this was a night were keys played a role.

Comment of the night: We're going off the grid. What I mean by that I do not know.

Act As If









The New Assembly