Club Tee Gee: Aging Actress with Trousdale and Nikki Lorenzo

It was off to Club Tee Gee to catch Aging Actress, which is a collaboration with Lauren Ruth Ward and Chris from SWIMM. This was my first time ever stepping inside Club Tee Gee -- though I've walked pass it. This was also the first show for Aging Actress.

Trousdale opened up the night with sweet vocals from this group of three.

Trousdale

Aging Actress gave us their first set. The place was packed to see this collaboration. 

Aging Actress

Nikki Lorenzo gave us an entertaining performance.

Nikki Lorenzo

American Barbershop: The Great Sadness, Speed of Light, Fucked Forever, and Ever So Android

It was off to the American Barbershop to catch some punk rock. The Great Sadness, Speed of Light,  Fucked Forever, and Ever So Android were the bands I caught.

I walked as The Great Sadness was starting up. Their desert rock sounds drive into your skull.

The Great Sadness

Speed of Light just loves to thrill with their screams.

Speed of Light

This was the first time I saw Fucked Forever. That was a thrill.

Fucked Forever

I really love how Hope of Ever So Android paces that stage.

Ever So Android

Bootleg Theater: Rounds with Anna Vogelzang

Bootleg Theater earlier in the year did a residency featuring Jamie Drake doing a rounds music setting. They must have liked the results of that residency, because they handed off similar duties for June's residency to Anna Vogelzang. It was mentioned that she has writing/music sessions at her house. She hosts those sessions with Adam Levy.

The rounds were split into three sections of artists. Fay Wolf and Ben Jaffe (of Honey Honey fame) took part in the first section.

Dan Sheron (Balto), Peter Harper (Motor Sales) and Sydney Wayser (CLARA-NOVA) played the second section.

And the night closed out with Sofia Wolfson and Rett Madison.

A handful of them played songs they'd written that day or within a couple days or so. I believe it was based on how Anna and Adam set up the rules of their hosted writing sessions. Sydney Wayser mentioned that one of her songs was a CLARA-NOVA song, but was being played and sung the way it was meant to be heard before it got transformed to align with the CLARA-NOVA sound and style. Ben Jaffe sang a couple songs based on a fictional individual. A very wonderful evening.

Anna Vogelzang

Stories Books and Cafe: Annie Hardy with Thomas Hunter

After losing track of Annie Hardy for awhile, this was my second time catching her set this year. This night was her birthday party set. The back patio of the cafe was packed. Perhaps the most packed that I've ever seen. There is definitely something about her ruminations about life. And there's something cool about the near haphazard way she approaches her set.

Annie Hardy

Thomas Hunter opened the night with some folk sounds. He reminded folks that when the hat was on, his songs were awesome and that when the hat was off things went downhill.

Thomas Hunter

Chungking Studio: Jett Kwong

The month of May is Asian Pacific American History Month (APAHM). And apparently, my support for this yearly event is to catch Jett Kwong. Last year I caught her at Junior High Gallery in Hollywood. This year, I caught her at Chungking Studio in Chinatown. If you aren't familiar with her, she plays a mean guzheng, which is a long string instrument that is parallel to the ground. Her music style is to play it with the backing of Western string instruments. It makes for a unique sound.

Also on this night, three short films were previewed. One dealt with Chinese immigrants in Germany and The Netherlands. Another was a short film about Chinese women dealing with sexual harassment in a unique way. And the final film was about Jett Kwong's grandmother.

Harvard & Stone: Ariel Beesley with Suzie Chism and Repenter

It was off to Harvard and Stone and a Softer Sex Production night.

Playing first on the night was Suzie Chism. Her comment of the set basically described her music, "I'm playing rock like GnR in a dress."

Suzie Chism

Repenter's lead singer, Holly, could be seen pacing in front of the stage as her band set up. When they did hit the stage, she dug deep for her vocals, proving that power resides in an emotional delivery.

Repnter

Ariel Beesley closed out the night. She has quickly become one of my favorites. As her fellow fans sang along to her music, she couldn't help but say, "WTF, how do you even know the words to my songs?"

Ariel Beesley