Up on Intraffik: An interview with The Mots Nouveaux

Up on Intraffik with an interview with The Mots Nouveaux.  The heading is a bit dated as it discusses the upcoming Brokechella, but the interview is still relevant.

A Movie Review: Laura

Laura. A classic 1944 movie where a detective attempts to figure out who murdered a young female advertising executive.  The suspects:  an older mentor, a fiance (or perhaps not), a jealous older woman.  This is a movie where you kind of assume you know who did it, but there are constant questions that pop up as everyone has their own agendas, which often results in lies being told to the detective.

Lawrence Rothman at Bootleg Bar

Lawrence Rothman.  When I heard Lawrence Rothman belting out his music, I immediately thought of John Bolton.  I couldn't help thinking that perhaps that was insulting Lawrence Rothman.  Hopefully, not.  This guy has pipes.

Jarell Perry at Bootleg Bar

Jarell Perry equal silky smooth sounds.

Two Dogs

I was out exercising one night and I saw a dog out and about (medium size).  The dog had a collar so it had decided to escape from its home.  The dog decided to take a poop on some random driveway, which made me laugh.  Then a smaller dog came running up.  The two seemed to have some type of conversation.  The two then trotted pass me and squeezed into a opening of a fence, which I'm assuming was back into their owner's property.

Brokechella 2014: A Fabulous DIY Music Festival

Brokechella. I got to Brokechella at 2:45 p.m. The festival area was at 590 Santa Fe Studios, across the street and south of Villains Tavern. The area was buzzing as the festival organizers were putting on the final touches. I spent my initial moments getting myself situated and then walking around the various art installations. And then it was off . . .

StaG. Ambient rock with an occasional touch of country. There was a nice crowd at the Cartel stage for the early set and it was a great way to start off the day. “I see you . . . “

StaG

Kitchen Hips. I rushed over to The Lounge to catch her final tunes. As I was walking in, she was off running into the crowd. She sings some mournful tunes, inspired by her love of Bob Dylan. “I want to live again . . .”

Kitchen Hips

The Singles. This was rock & roll from “Happy Days.” “Heart of stone . . .”

Singles

ZiBBZ. Hey, I’m an American and so Sweden/Switzerland, it is all the same just like Austria/Australia. I was thinking during their set, “The Swedes really are invading the Los Angeles music scene. Icona Pop, ZiBBZ.” Then as I was writing this post up, I went to their Facebook page, “Oh wait, they’re from Switzerland.” This band needs to share a stage with one of my favorite local bands, The Shakers, at the Viper Room. “But I really know you’d like to see me naked later . . . Let me dance in neon lights on Sunset Boulevard . . .”

ZiBBZ

Katie Boeck. She’s a songstress named Katie Boeck, which rhymes with Broke . . . chella. That’s what she said, not me. “You’re all I need . . . “

Katie Boeck

Hona Costello.  It was time for a hip hop set at the Brownies and Lemonade Stage. “I want everyone to smoke something, drink something . . .”

Hona Costello

Dark Furs. There is a passion in vocalist Suzanne May’s voice that wants to make sure you understand her lyrics. “I’m losing interest in my current situation . . . “

Dark Furs

Liz Oppenheimer. Major award here: best effort, singing on crutches with a medical boot on her right foot. Her songs drip with satirical lyrics. “There will be cameras chasing me, like Diana in Pari. I’m a princess in the making . . . There will be statues made for me . . . I will party every night. And my BFFs will fight. Just make sure it is reported.”

Liz Oppenheimer

The Mots Nouveaux. I love this band and I do believe those in The Lounge loved them, as well. There was a significant amount of cheering and clapping throughout the set. “Now they tell me you have eyes for me . . . Baby that’s news to me . . . “

The Mots Nouveaux

Kera and the Lesbians. I saw this band about two years ago, playing at The Bootleg. I remember it being one of the most emotional sets I’ve seen. One thing I forgot and quickly remembered about that set two years ago is that Kera moves around so much that she makes life difficult for a photographer. “I’ll still love you until my dying day . . . “

Kera and the Lesbians

After Kera and The Lesbians, I jumped about, catching bits of three sets. It was off to the Shifty Rhythms stage where Earnest Blount and Saint had the crowd in a dance club frenzy. I noticed a number of folks at the back of the stage, looking at something below them. I headed on over, which resulted in a new photography desire: photograph skateboarders. Then it was off to catch Raven Sorvino, “Do you all know where Leimert Park is?”

Raven Sorvino

Earnest Blount

Saint

ANIMALS of KIN. So seriously, what do you do when you swear you recognize members of a band and you know for sure it isn’t because they might have attended the same high school as you? Well, this being Los Angeles, you go to IMDB, of course. Lead singer Sarah Roemer was in a television series called “The Event.” Guitarist Tim Jo is on The Neighbors. “There you go with all your funny little ways . . .”

ANIMALS of KIN

HOTT MT. After seeing ANIMALS of KIN, I don’t think I can be blamed for seeing the lead singer of HOTT MT and thinking, is that Ellen Page? The lead singer would look into the audience and I wasn’t sure she was seeing anyone; instead, I think she was looking inwardly. This was the band that I really wanted to see. I looked up their music and it sounded gorgeous. I wasn’t disappointed. “Can I drown, in a frozen sea . . .”

HOTT MT

yOya. Soothing, stunning, go see this band. They had some technical difficulties so a joke was given: “Should I tell a potassium joke? K.” Someone out in the audience who is obviously a chemist yelled out, “I get it.” “Am I seeing what I want, or just some fool’s gold . . . “

yOya

I’m waiting for next year and not just because of the great music, but because I want to photograph more skateboarders. I figure if I catch the skaters while the sun is up, I can use a more advantageous camera setting . . .

A Movie Review: Zardoz

Zardoz. I'm on this trip of seeing old movies and saw this movie was playing on TCM.  I'm like, Sean Connery, why not?  Apparently, this movie ranks as a cult classic, which means that someone like me is unlikely to find it interesting.  And so it was.

Zardoz is set in the future where society is separated into two:  those who are immortal and those who are not.  The immortals live in an area that is protected by a force field and have an idyllic life.  You might think they'd be happy, but are far from it.  The mortals are outside of this force field and deal with a society that has no structure so murder and mayhem prevail.

Sean Connery's character, Zed, is an mortal, but he finds his way into the area that protects the immortals.  He figures out a way to bring them down, which of course most of them welcome as they've become bored with life.

I was so bored with this movie that I'm surprised I actually watched the whole thing.  It feels like the actors are just bored being in this movie, but perhaps that was the point of the movie -- eternal life brings boredom.  And, I have to admit, I'm not sure I even understood what was going on in the movie:  which might have resulted from the fact that I only managed to get through this movie by breaking it up into three sections, watched over three days.

A Movie Review. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Captain America: The Winter Soldier. What a fun movie. Interestingly, what I love is when Hydra is making their move. Part of you really don't know who is who. I think it is Captain America who states something like: who every is shooting at you is the enemy. That's totally correct. That whole scene just shows the chaos of war.  Does this movie rank up there with the original Iron Man?  Perhaps a touch lower, but not by much.  This movie rocks.

Mosco Rosco at The Satellite

Mosco Rosco. Brilliant lights aid the brilliant dance music.

Lola Wolf at The Satellite

Lolawolf. Calm and cool.  They were having technical issues, but the crowd didn't care.  Their sound had everyone enthralled.

A Movie Review: The Adventures of Robin Hood

Adventures into classic movies continues.  When I was young, I loved this movie.  So what do I think about it now?  I still enjoyed it, but I have to admit I didn't love it.  Errol Flynn is very charismatic into the role of Robin Hood.  I guess what has me take this movie down a notch is the fact that Robin Hood keeps on putting himself in danger in order to win the affections of Maid Marian.  How exactly does a single individual escape from hundreds of soldiers?  I don't think so, but hey, I still enjoyed watching it again.

Banta at Silverlake Lounge

Banta. They bring the indie back to rock.

HC Smith at Silverlake Lounge

HC Smith is so new he doesn't appear to have a website.  In fact, if I heard correctly, this was his first set ever.  He is a man of amazing facial expressions.

Basement Babies at Silverlake Lounge

Basement Babies. I only caught the last two songs of their set, but they do have some bouncy tunes.

Moses Sumney at Bootleg Bar

Moses Sumney. I'll admit that for the first couple songs I wasn't getting it. Why was the Bootleg filled to capacity? And then I was like: I get it. I get it. I got it!!!

Kan Wakan at Bootleg Bar

Kan Wakan. They don't play any bad notes.

Brandon Coleman at Bootleg Bar

Brandon Coleman. Hit the jazz station and spice it up with a touch of magic.

A Movie Review: You Can't Take It with You

You Can't Take It with You (1938). My love affair with old movies continues. This time it is James Stewart with Jean Arthur directed by Frank Capra. It is a quirky comedy that has undertones of what is coming soon for Frank Capra and James Stewart: It's a Wonderful Life (1946). The movie deals with two very diverse families: Stewart's family are bankers while Arthur's family are artists. The two fall in love (how they fall in love isn't really explained, you simply see them behind the closed door of Stewart's office having already been dating for awhile). If one needs a laugh, this is a movie to see.

Note: you see an amusing moment when a house explodes in a brilliant light of fireworks. You'd think a lot of folks would permanently find themselves in jail for something like that. Well, not so. Perhaps that's the difference between the 1930s and the 2010s.

Oh, Be Clever at Club Moscow: Photo Series

Oh, Be Clever

Oh, Be Clever at Club Moscow: Photo Series

Oh, Be Clever

Oh, Be Clever at Club Moscow: Photo Series

Oh, Be Clever