Brutus VIII (moniker for Jackson Katz) opened up for Tankerlow (you can read that article here) who were celebrating their sophomore album SLAGROOM. His Zebulon set was an industrial experimental thrill ride. Throughout the set, one could hear William S. Burroughs spoken-word Dinosaurs - a desire for humanity to keep on evolving.
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| Brutus VIII at Zebulon |
As I've said before, I try to stick to a specific amount of nights out in the music scene each week. I am actually keeping to my self-discipline better this year than last year. Yet, a recent week was a cheat week as I went out five different nights (one of those nights included hopping venues). I already knew I was going to head out 4 nights that week, but then curiosity hit. I took a look at what WFNM had scheduled for Bar Lubitsch. Catching my attention was jazz singer Stacey Ryan from Montreal, Canada. I sent Grant Owens (WFNM founder) an Instagram message to ask when she was hitting the stage. I learned she was the first performer up for the night. Off I went and then I made a quick exit to head back home. The computer was turned back on and I put in another hour of work.
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| Stacey Ryan at Bar Lubitsch |
Very Nice Person (the duo Davis and Skyler Diamond) and their dreamy electronic sounds captured the hearts at Zebulon (a Pretty But Wicked showcase night). Their quiet demeaner and one-liners sold the deal for many. After their set ended, I overheard one person in the audience comment, "He's [David Diamond] funny as hell." One understated comedic moment came at the start of the set when he told someone in the audience that he liked their hat, because it was glittery. He mentioned he also had glitter on his shirt.
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| Very Nice Person at Zebulon |
Makenna Lilly (aka Makenna Lilly Medeiros) brought a throwback attitude to a WFNM showcase at Hotel Ziggy. Her Spotify bio mentions that her music is inspired by Letters to Cleo, The Breeders, Alanis Morissette, and Radiohead. I've covered two of those bands for music blog sites. Back in 2022, I covered Letters to Cleo for Buzzbands (you can read that article here). A few weeks back I covered The Breeders at The Palladium. Due to unanticipated outstanding issues, that review hasn't been published yet. Hopefully, in the near future. Those music bonds is definitely a reason why I was immediately drawn to her music.
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| Makenna Lilly at Hotel Ziggy |
It was a Pretty But Wicked showcase night at Zebulon that featured dream pop duo Girlfriend, Wife (a collaboration between Kacy Hill and Tessa DeNicola). Kacy Hill has been releasing music for around a decade. This new duo continues her artistic expression.
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| Girlfriend, Wife at Zebulon |
The Natural Supernatural, fronted by Sean Fortier, closed out a Swyndle Monday night showcase at Harvard & Stone. I first came across the band in 2021 at a WFNM showcase night at Bar Lubitsch. I've got to say that was a good night of music as the line-up included Beck Pete, Carli Storms, and Young Rising Sons. I did a Q&A with the band at the time that is tucked way back in 2021 on my Instagram account. Here's a small snippet:
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| The Natural Supernatural at Harvard & Stone |
Emma Smalley stepped up to the microphone at Hotel Ziggy for a WFNM showcase with her acoustic guitar. It was her second time in Los Angeles. She's a native to South Carolina, currently living in Nashville. Is this one of the last times people in Los Angeles will be able to catch her in such an intimate setting?
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| Emma Smalley at Hotel Ziggy |
Trucker country stole the show at the WFNM showcase at Hotel Ziggy. Dylan Andrews was playing his third WFNM showcase night. If I understood correctly, this was the first of those three sets where the majority of the songs were his own. No matter if I heard correctly or not, I was caught up in his country charm from the start. He's putting together a catalog of songs that are just waiting to get released in a debut EP or album.
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| Dylan Andrews at Hotel Ziggy |
Walter the Producer (moniker for Reid Hosp) opened up a recent night at Zebulon. With vocals that hinted of Bob Dylan, he took command of the venue. Or maybe not. While up on stage suggesting that people should feel free to dance during his set (though he admitted that he himself did not dance when he went out), he heard some people off on the step seats talking, "Who's talking? What the hell. I thought I commanded request."
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| Walter the Producer at Zebulon |
Sylvia Fae (aka Sylvia Fae Massey) set at Harvard & Stone (a Swyndle showcase night) was a stylish goth performance. She mentioned with a deserved sense of pride that she "produced all the tracks [of the set] in her bedroom." She is a multimedia artist. In 2024, she released a book titled I Could Be a Maggot's Feast which is a collection of "poetry, photography, and drawings from 2017-2023." The inspiration behind the book is the fact that she moved from North Carolina to Los Angeles in 2022. Not only was it a coastal move, but it was also her first time living outside of Carolina.
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| Sylvia Foe at Harvard & Stone |
Tele (moniker for Sophie Telegadis) brought her vibrant personality to Zebulon. Before starting her set, she jumped excitedly on stage, she was almost giggly. Yet, when the music started she went for a cool nonchalant attitude that worked perfectly for her desert-psychedelic rock. One could see influences of Jesse Jo Stark in both her music and performance style.
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| Tele at Zebulon |
I try to head out into the DIY Los Angeles music scene a specific number of times a week. On this particular week, I had a couple larger venue events (Bellwether / The Belasco) so there were only so many nights left on the calendar to head out to my various favorite venues (I just can't go to these larger venues, I have to also spend a night writing up articles). For my first DIY night of the week, I took off to Zebulon. Then I was like, I'm going to squeeze in one more night. Yep, that would equate to going out four times in a week.
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| Eva Rose at El Cid |
It was an east side meets west side situation when Linus Hablot (aka Linus Hablot Lester-Hodges) took to the WFNM showcase night at the Sunset Strip's Hotel Ziggy. Just a couple weeks earlier, he played Echo Park Rising at Stories Books and Cafe. I do believe I overheard a conversation where he said he lives on the east side. At the end of the set, he mentioned that he is playing at The Fable on Oct 20th, which may very well be a Ryan Pollie showcase night.
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| Linus Hablot at Hotel Ziggy |
Scotland based singer-songwriter JP O'Grady recently dropped by The Airliner Bar. He was part of the School Night showcase (a collaboration between Make Out Music and KCRW). I will say he has a song out there called "Half Way Home" that has rather detailed lyrics about Los Angeles county so perhaps he hangs out across the pond extensively. Either way, he spent part of September playing venues in Los Angeles: Hotel Ziggy, Healing Force of the Universe, and The Airliner Bar. It was in fact his Hotel Ziggy set that had me checking out his set at The Airliner Bar. How so? The Hotel Ziggy set was a WFNM showcase night. I wasn't able to go to that night, but WFNM's Grant Owens suggested that I check out the School Night set.
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| JP O'Grady at The Airliner Bar |
Lyla George took a flight out from New Orleans to Los Angeles and ended up at The Airliner Bar. This was a School Night showcase event (collaboration between Make Out Music and KCRW). Interestingly enough, the previous time I attended a School Night event, New Orleans based singer Olivia Barnes was on the bill. I've got to give it up to the New Orleans music scene.
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| Lyla George at The Airliner Bar |
ALYSSAD (moniker for Alyssa de Boisblanc) took Hotel Ziggy (a WFNM showcase night) by storm. Per her bio, ALYSSAD is Boisblanc's alter-ego. She is "blending genres to create her unique musical style to showcase haunting vocals" and "grunge aesthetic." I knew I was going to be into her set from the start. Her first song was Jesse Jo Stark's "Fire of Love." I've been a long time fan of Jesse Jo Stark and you can read an article I wrote up for Buzzbands back in 2022. I was thinking, "Yes, more please."
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| ALYSSAD at Hotel Ziggy |
It was a flashback night at The Fable (an In Sonic Dreams showcase). JOE LIES was playing their first set in 20 years (you can read that post here) and opening up the night was Auditorium (moniker for Spencer Berger).
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| Auditorium at The Fable |
I happened to mention back in an April post (a Pisces' Song Spotlight) that In Sonic Dreams was bringing back bands from yesteryear once a month at The Fable. That was not a negative statement, because I have a long history in the music scene and love catching bands that are reuniting after being on hiatus. Jump ahead to September and In Sonic Dreams had another blast from the past. JOE LIES (I will admit I don't think I ever saw this band perform live -- nor an offshoot of the band called Adeline and the Philistines -- though a band member or two did look familiar.)
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| JOE LIES at The Fable |
Shacar (moniker for Andre Smith) mentions Sade in his song "Phone Off." His silky hip hop vocals are at a lower register than Sade Adu, but Bar Lubitsch set had the same chill approach. The WFNM showcase crowd gave him shout outs throughout. The audience response was unfazed by the fact that he strolled up onto the Bar Lubitsch stage wearing a New York Yankees vest.
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| Shacar at Bar Lubitsch |
Earlier this month, Arizona teen rocker Piper Connolly stole the show at Hotel Ziggy (WFNM showcase night). I didn't do much research on the performers prior to heading out. My primary reason was to catch a specific singer who ended up cancelling (I didn't know this until getting to the venue). One will never know when one will be pleasantly surprised when catching indie artists.
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| Piper Connolly at Hotel Ziggy |
