Adam Marsland and Silver Needle at El Cid

It was off to El Cid recently to catch Silver Needle and Adam Marsland and the Chaos Band.

Adam Marsland gave the audience an energetic set. They just slammed through their set, not letting down for a moment. Silver Needle had the crowd dancing like crazy. And Johnny 99 on bass was doing moves that only he can make. For awhile there, one couldn't help but be taken back in time to the good old Kiss or Kill days.

Adam Marsland and the Chaos Band

Silver Needle

The Shakers and Black Carl at Cat Club

It was off to the Cat Club to catch Black Carl and The Shakers.

Black Carl. Their funk beat had the crowd going wild. People were dancing throughout. A friend had suggested I check them out. I'm glad I made it out to the Cat Club in time to catch them.

The Shakers. They debuted a new song called "Set Yourself Free." It was their second to last song. Wow. It was just so amazing. And one of the great things about them, they're not only a great band musically but also a fun band to photograph.

Black Carl

The Shakers

Pu$$y Cow at Kibitz

It was off to the Kibitz to catch Pu$$y Cow.

As is sort of standard at the Kibitz, the set-up was relaxed, not rushed. The guy who runs the place put in a couple dollars into the jukebox, enough for four songs. Danny on drums fiddled around on his drum set and at one point decided that the proper way to keep the set list in place was to spike it with one of his sticks. When the jukebox went silent, the guys went on stage to kick off their set.

Jokes were in for the night. Some jokes about Iron Giant. Inside jokes about song writing. And someone left behind a dirty old shoe that brought about jokes throughout the set, verbal and physical.

The night ended a week of catching up with Kiss or Kill bands: The Mulhollands (at Kibitz), Underwater City People/King Cheetah (at Mr. T's) and ending with Pu$$y Cow.

Echo Curio is Officially Closed

Via Laist and then the source, Echo Curio Blog, another change is happening in the Silverlake/Echo Park music scene. Though it is still to be determined rather or not the change at Spaceland/Satellite is for the good or the bad, it would seem that this demise at Echo Curio is definitely for the bad -- not that folks who know about Echo Curio didn't see this coming since early last month. Or that Big Whup show that got closed down a couple months back -- learned that via a friend of mine.

Some of my favorite shows at Echo Curio involved bands such as The Mo-odds, Queen Kwong, Pu$$y Cow, Prizzy Prizzy Please and The Shakers. I guess the highlight for me at Echo Curio was having to watch Prizzy Prizzy Please from the outside, because it was just so crazy hot inside.

Black Apples, Future Ghost and Tijuana Panthers at The Echo

It was off to The Echo to catch Black Apples, Future Ghost and Tijuana Panthers. The main reason for me was to catch Future Ghost. This was my second time catching them, but first time seeing a full set. Sometimes you catch the back end of a band and you think, "Wow, I want to see them again." You go back another time and realize that you probably caught their one and only good song. As for Future Ghost, loved their full set.

I saw Tijuana Panthers a week ago at Spaceland. This time around . . . hey, they had the crowd dancing. Does one need to say anything more? And then there was Black Apples, the residency band. Interesting note: they had two drum sets on stage. One drummer appears to do triple duty: drums, lead vocals and guitar -- not all at once, of course. (I'm not sure he played the guitar during their set, but he did mention something about them having a friend playing guitar with them for the night so he was just doing vocals.) For one song, he started at the microphone and ended on the drums. Towards the end of their set one of them said, "We have one song left." I was standing next to someone who said, "That's a real short set -- 20 minutes?" I agreed. What was going on. The band huddled and one of them came to the microphone, "Sorry about that, we have two songs left." Okay, now we were talking.

Below photos taken from other venues. Sorry, no photos of Black Apples, just of Future Ghost and Tijuana Panthers.

Future Ghost

Tijuana Panthers

Spaceland: Booker and Venue part ways

So I found out that the booker and venue owner of Spaceland are parting ways via Buzz Bands. Spaceland the venue will now be called Satellite -- still similar to the "space" theme. And I guess the Spaceland booker will be looking for another venue to book. It will be interesting to see how this impacts the music scene in Silverlake/Echo Park.

Wormstew, Gentlemen Prefer Blood, Underwater City People, King Cheetah and Icky's Ego at Mr. T's Bowl

So it was off to Mr. T's to catch a series of bands: Wormstew, Gentlemen Prefer Blood, Underwater City People, The King Cheetah and Icky's Ego. Five bands in one night, now that 's a lot of bands.

Wormstew. He started out his set with a G chord and ended it on a G chord. He also played a cover of a Chissum Worthington (same person, just a Sybil thing going on there) song. He said it would be his only cover of the night, but I do believe there was a cover of a Pu$y Cow song -- or maybe Pu$y Cow is always doing a cover of Wormstew.

Gentlemen Prefer Blood was a new band for me. Highlight, watching one of the band members moving around so much that he unplugged himself from the floor peddle twice. And his feet got so tangled with the chord at one point that I felt for sure he'd just topple over.

Underwater City People was the main reason I showed up at Mr. T's. I don't get to see them much anymore. It is great just getting to hear them play my favorites. And I just wonder when their record is coming out, because I'm owed a copy.

King Cheetah was up next. They're a two piece band that just gives it their all every time I've seen them. It is always interesting watching the drummer tuning up his drums during the set of another band. I always consider it a sign of wanting to give the audience the best.

The final band of the night was Icky's Ego. Another first time listen for me. Take a look at the photos. I say sunglasses. From what I understand, they mostly play on the west side. Love their style.

Wormstew

Gentlemen Prefer Blood

Underwater City People

The King Cheetah

Icky's Ego

The Mulhollands at Kibitz

The Mulhollands played the Kibitz this Friday night. Their last show before going on their first tour ever.

If you happen to come across this blog and live in the following cities, I highly encourage you to check out this band.

Secaucas, NJ: Nov 17.
West Chester, PA: Nov 18.
New York, NY: Nov 19.
Philadelphia, PA: Nov 20.

In regards to Kibitz. I loved their set, but I have to emphasize that there was a stretch in the middle of their set that was just beautiful.

Dirt Dress and Tijuana Panthers at Spaceland

It was off to Spaceland on Monday to catch Dirt Dress and Tijuana Panthers. It was a night of some stripped down rock. Though the crowd was smaller than when Eastern Conference Champions played Spaceland a couple weeks ago, the crowd was just as enthusiastic. A line of folks crowded near the front of the stage for both bands.

Tijuana Panthers. The bassist holds his bass high up his body, higher up than most bassists I've seen. And at times, when his body was turned at a certain angle it looked like he was holding a spear.

Dirt Dress is the residency band. I have a feeling the crowd will growth larger as the month progresses. I do believe their play list was on the drummers iPhone. What's next, let's look at the iPhone.

Tijuana Panthers

Dirt Dress

A Movie Review: You Again

You Again. This is an adequate movie. You have a decent cast of Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Odette Yustman and Betty White. It had its moments of comical fights, competitive in-fighting, and reconciliation. Will it be a movie I'll remember a year from now, probably not but spending an evening watching it with friends was cool.

My problem: Joanna (Odette Yustman) is supposed to be a woman who has changed since high school, but there is a scene where she is giving a present to Marni (Kristen Bell) that would say otherwise -- the gift being a horrid reminder of their high school days.

A Movie Review: Easy A

Easy A. Easy A is a pleasant teen movie. I wouldn't rank it up there with the teen movies I think are awesome like Clueless and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, but it does have its own charm. Olive (Emma Stone) finds herself in a situation where all the unpopular high school kids start paying her so that certain sexual rumors can spread throughout the school. Rumors soon start to develop that she's getting paid for prostitution and her life in high school heads south as even her best friend abandons her. It all works out in the end; however.

The movie is helped by some top notch adult actors such as Thomas Haden Church and Lisa Kudrow as a married couple at the school and Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci as Olive's parents.

Rocket at Three of Clubs

I once again headed off to catch Rocket the Band. Lead singer Lauren does like to just say whatever comes to her mind. "She (LaurenC) has her choice of lay-ers tonight. (Looking over to Sara) Was that inappropriate? Sorry, just thinking out loud." Second time around and I have to say that yes I am addicted to Rocket.

This time around, I stood in a different spot to get some different photo angles.

Amusing encounter with the door guy. I gave him my ID. He waved me in. I got stuck behind some folks for some reason. I don't know how that happened. The door guy then asked for my ID again. I was like, "Ah, you just checked my ID." I guess I don't stand out enough.

I parked my car somewhat far away down on El Centro. There is a bar/club on El Centro and Santa Monica. Let me tell you something -- and this will no doubt show my age -- if I lived on that street that bar/club would be getting a visit by the police. It was 1 a.m. and you could hear the music and the thumping of the bass rather clearly for at least two blocks. Way to be a cool neighbor.