Kate Brady, honeychain and EZ Tiger at The Frog Spot

The Frog Spot opened up for the summer season. The Frog Spot, for those who don't know, is an open space that overlooks the Los Angeles River. In fact, if one wishes, s/he can walk down the steep concrete embankment and have a look at the river. The event was a mixture of the young and old of the LA music scene. Let's restate that: the young and middle aged. Kate Brady represented the young with her singer songwriter set. The middle aged: honeychain and EZ Tiger provided punk flavors to the outdoors. A nice outdoor venue where families came to hang out and enjoy a nice pre-summer, later afternoon.

Barrows with Psychic Jiu Jitsu and mothdrops at The Echo

Last Monday was a fun night at The Echo. Psychic Jiu Jitsu had the comment of the night when before their set they announced, "Just don't f*cking laugh at us." Their set was post punk mellow. Mothdrops had me thinking The Killers and then they ended their set with a song that started a small mosh pit. What did I notice? The lead singer loved that floor. He decided to take three brief naps on it. Ha ha. Also, couldn't help but notice the dicks drawn on their set lists. "Superbad", anyone? Barrows is the May residency band. They continued the post punk sounds. Got to say, loved the bug eyes the drummer gave during at least one moment of the set. See photo slide for evidence.

Omar Velasco and Jenny O at The Hi Hat

It was, as based on my research, my annual Jenny O set since 2011. She started out her set in what sort of looked like a bathrobe. Okay, maybe a long sleeve shawl. I just love her soft spoken singing style. Her vocals just floated out there and filled the room. What did I notice: her set list was written so beautifully. Towards the middle of her set, while she was tuning her guitar, she joked about how she joined an improvisation group to try and improve her ability to chat in between her songs. She quipped that it hadn't worked. Who cares, she had the audience under her spell.

Omar Velasco is doing the May residency at The Hi Hat. Last year, he did a residency at the Bootleg Theater. It was cool getting to catch him again. He brought a Spanish-influenced singer-songwriter set to the stage. What I noticed: he put a handful of tambourines at the front of the stage. Towards the middle of his set he invited people to pick one up. Of course, there was a condition, "As long as you have rhythm, you're welcome to pick one up."

Calvin Love with Alyeska, Fatal Jamz and Shannon Lay at the Bootleg Theater

It was off to the Bootleg Theater to catch their residency night featuring Calvin Love. Shannon Lay from Feels started the night off. It reminded me of my first night during my New Zealand vacation. I was walking around and came across this music venue where folks were in a circle, singing. Her set was such a unique difference from Feels.

Fatal Jamz reminded me of watching Rocky Horror Picture Show. Yes, a lounge singer singing while the "acting" is going on.

Calvin Love is the residency artist for May. I say it was like watching Chandler Bing (Friends) going crooner versus the humor guy among his friends.

Alyeska had the quote of the night, "Feel sympathy towards me. I've had hardly any sleep over the last two days." She's out their proving that Gen Z is ready to take their place in the Los Angeles music scene. Also, couldn't help but notice how excited she got when she saw someone in the audience wearing a Dinosaur Jr t-shirt.

Sister Mantos, Aye Nako and Potty Mouth at The Hi Hat

It was a variety of sounds at The Hi Hat a couple Mondays ago. Sister Mantos hit the stage with their Latin rock sounds. There was a cow bell and stylish dance twirls. There was also a song that the band plays at quinceaneras. What did I notice: I nearly got knocked over the head by falling cymbals. In fact, a fellow photographer had to save my skull. All good.

Aye Nako came in from Brooklyn, NY. They're good friends with Potty Mouth. This band trades off their lead vocals. Memories were shared between Aye Nako and Potty Mouth: one being where they were on the the bill together, but Potty Mouth had to leave before their set, because Abby had her high school classes the next day. What did I notice: they were all rocking the short shorts.

Potty Mouth is the reason why I showed up for this night. I'd seen them earlier in the year and was eager to catch them again. They gave us their rocking best.

Potty Mouth's comment of the set:

Ally: I almost twisted my ankle again. I'm getting old at 29.

Abby: You mean you were doing a cool dance move.

The Diamond Light with Well Hung Heart and Robbery Inc at The Satellite

The first residency night for The Diamond Light started off with a blast. Well Hung Heart just rocked it. And their fashion statement went like this: glamour vs. black dress vs. jeans. To end their set, they went with a rap sound with the lead singer jumping off the stage and showing some moves on the floor. The lead guitarist came on down and they ended their set with the lead singer jumping on his back.

Robbery Inc brought their rock sound up next with some smooth keys and bended knees.

The Diamond Light brought a country rock sound to the stage of The Satellite. The lead singer wore an outfit straight from a 1950s Western movie. The crowd loved it all.

KONA with Melody Reyne, Drum and Lace and VIAA at The Bootleg Theater

What an awesome night of music at the Bootleg Theater. Opening up was Melody Reyne, an earnest singer songwriter set. Up next was Drum and Lace. She played her electronic synths with a background of videos playing against the Bootleg wall. There were city images of Europe from the 50's/60's. A young woman could be seen walking the streets of Europe. VIAA reminded me of a disco queen with a touch of Sade. One of her songs was about an ex-boyfriend that thought she had done something, but she hadn't so she wrote a song like she had done it. The residency night belonged to KONA. It was a set that screamed out love. It was a very important set as KONA's grandmother had died earlier that day. It was a heartfelt set, showing love for her grandmother.

What was noticed from the night: I swear that someone was taking selfies inside the bathroom of the Bootleg. Flashes could be seen.

Draemings with Jesse Jo Stark, Ever So Android, Brass Box at The Echo

The Echo. One thing I've learned about the Los Angeles music scene: if you're interested in checking out a specific night and you suddenly see an added name pop up on the website and if that band/individual is up first, you better show up early even if you don't have a clue who that individual is. That was the case on this specific Draemings residency night.

I noticed that Jesse Jo Stark was added to the line-up. I'm not hip on the fashion scene so I had no clue who she was, but after doing some research I learned a whole lot more. I made sure I was there by 8:00 p.m. as were a whole lot of other individuals. Her music has that Mazzy Star feel to it. That is a connection that one can't complain about. She was calm and comfortable on stage while her bassist had this gritted teeth wild look that just caught my attention.

Jesse Jo Stark

After Jesse Jo Stark, Ever So Android came on stage. This was my second time seeing this band. They are one of my new favorites. The lead singer paces that stage like a caged animal.

Just before their set I had the following paraphrased conversation with a fellow photographer:

Me: I’m here to see Ever So Android.

Photographer gives me a side eye look like I’m crazy. [On Instagram, I stated that this was the night to head out to see Draemings, because Ever So Android was on the bill. So I was there to see both. I just failed to mention this fact.]

Ever So Android played their set.

Photographer: What did you say their name was?

Me: Ever So Android.

Photographer: They’re so good! [One more convert.]

Ever So Android

Brass Box came on stage next. The lead singer used to play with Black Flamingo. There is a connection here as the lead singer from Draemings also played in Black Flamingo. It was like a family reunion. Actually, it is always nice to see this happen as that let's you know that the breakup of a band didn't cause a breakup in friendships. Brass Box has an ethereal sound that has a touch of influence from Black Flamingo.

Brassbox

Draemings did their third residency set. The Echo was packed for the weirdness. Lead singer Kimi, dare I guess wrong, was dressed like a flaming Phoenix bird. Another member of the band was dressed up like a manic toy soldier. With their theatrical fashion and wonderful stage decoration, it was a set to remember. Well, let's not forget that college radio '80s/90s alternative rock sound. Oh yeah.

Draemings

Barb Wire Dolls with earthsleep, Turbulent Hearts and Svetlanas at Whisky a Go Go

It was off to Whisky a Go Go to catch Barb Wire Dolls along with earthsleep, Turbulent Hearts and Svetlanas. The first band up for me was earthsleep. It was my first time seeing this band, but I was well aware of them. Occasionally, the lead singer of earthsleep will like one of my Instagram photos. What I heard: the lead singer has the perfect feminine vocals to crosscheck her male band counterparts' musical muscle. Next up was Turbulent Hearts, a band that hits the peddle and doesn't let up. The headliner, Barb Wire Dolls came up third. I swear this band gets better and better. There wasn't a dull song in their set. The band also works so well together, like the proverbial well oiled machine. I was going to take off after Barb Wire Dolls, but it was suggested that I check out Svetlanas for a song or two. She'll give you that bug eye. Intense.

I got to talk to a photographer that I always see at the Whisky a Go Go. I found out he was approaching 2 million photos. Crazy. The camera has was currently using was approaching 1 million. No way. It was a great conversation learning about how another photographer approaches life.

Cellars and Pom Poms at the Bootleg Theater

So the day after hanging out at Broke LA Fest for 9 hours, I decided to hang out at the Bootleg Theater. That is a bit nuts for me, but I had to do it as Cellars was doing a free set. Up first for me was Pom Poms. They brought their Western infused rock. I swear I envision them hanging out at a saloon in the late 1800s.

Then it was Cellars. This was my 3rd time seeing her. During the first couple songs, it finally dawned on me why I love Cellars. She has so much fun while on stage. So much fun that it almost like she doesn't even care if there is anyone in the room. She just wants to experiment away.

Comment of the night by Pom Poms: I don't know why I'm walking like a stand-up comedian.

Ugh moment of the night by Cellars: her laptop fell from its perch (about 1 foot above the stage) twice. Ouch to the computer.

Broke LA Fest 2017 Review

Raener

Broke LA Fest. A perfect day for Broke LA Fest in East Los Angeles. I will admit that I took some looks at Weather.com, which was showing a 50% chance of rain. I think it rained late Friday night/early Saturday morning, but on Saturday the storm stayed to the north of Los Angeles. The advantage of potential rains was that it brought great festival weather to Los Angeles.

Background. During this year's open submission period, over 1,000 bands/musicians wanted to play the festival. Talking with the Broke LA Fest team, they listened to every band. From there, listening teams started the hard task of selecting the bands that best fit the festival. Eventually, around 25 bands were passed on to the head curators, who make the final decisions. Around 80% of the bands come from this submission process while the other 20% were bands booked by the festival to help round things out.

The above process guaranteed that there were going to be some difficult choices to determine which bands to catch. Like the Broke LA team, I made some similar hard decisions in my scheduling. My goal for this festival was to check out bands/musicians that I hadn't previously seen. That made it easier by seven, but still allowed for a lot of options. I don't know if that shows my lack of knowledge of the Los Angeles music scene or just how large our music scene is.

Even though my goal was to focus in on bands that I hadn't previously seen that apparently didn't apply to musicians. I happened across one musician, Zach Bilson, a number of times on stage. After seeing him in two bands, I had to ask, "How many times are you playing today?" His response, "Four, across two stages." I half wondered if Broke LA made an extra effort to keep bands to the schedule so that one of those 4 bands wouldn't end up without a bassist.

Enough of that.

My most awesome bands/musicians (can't nail it to just one band):

Brasstracks
Kid Wave
Zealyn

Note that this is in alphabetical order.

Brasstracks had some technical difficulties that delayed their set by a few minutes, but this only got their fans energized even more. The Jungle Gym stage was packed for this Grammy winner duo. When they hit go, they brought the big horns and powerful drum beats. It was nonstop with lights blasting. What did notice: the smile that crossed the face.

I got to interview Kid Wave during Broke LA's media day. I love the fact that Lea (lead singer) spent time in London. During the interview, we spent a few minutes talking about the London music scene as I got to catch a couple bands there during my brief vacation in London. Kid Wave is actually from Sweden and so I say she represents the glorious wave of Swedish musicians that have made Los Angeles their new home away from home. She ended the set with my personal favorite Kid Wave song, "Wonderlust." There is just something so catchy about the melodies in that song. What did I notice: Lea can give you that "I don't give a F*ck" look.

Zealyn, Angie Miller, has the singer-songwriter vocals down. Those vocals will make you gush in praise. Now she came into Broke LA with a less than stellar week. She mentioned that she'd gotten into a car accident and came down with a cold. That didn't prevent her from dancing around the stage in an abandonment moment to celebrate life. Her last song was "On a Hillside Looking Up." Oh mercy, so beautiful. What did I notice: I think she would make a good orchestra conductor, if she so desired, as she has some great hand motions.

Most entertaining stage shows:

Fellow Bohemian had two mannequins on stage, holding a white sheet with their band name on it. Couldn't help but notice the red painted finger tips and lips on those mannequins.

Tickle Torture went all out with the back-up dancers. I didn't get to catch the whole set, but did notice how one moment he had Aztec dressed dancers on stage while the next moment there was a guy in bondage gear.

You move way too fast:

Kolaj moved on stage so fast that she was often a blur to my camera. I thought my shutter speed was set pretty fast. Just not fast enough! Her music also had a subliminal way of getting everyone to dance.

Meditation moments:

Raener had me in a meditative mood. Those vocals. It made those large balloons hanging from the Ball Pit stage ceiling take on a near philosophical meaning. And then there was the hula hoops off-stage.

Lyrics that hit you in the heart:

Bloodboy's fashion has to be mentioned. Red gloves and red shoes. Okay, let's go on to those lyrics from "Mom, I've Changed:"

I'm in trouble with my mother 
She's concerned that I've lost my mind, for real this time 
But I told her that if I never had it anyway

So powerful.

Yes, I did see a band I previously saw (technically, no, but):

Velvet is fronted by Emily Gold, who I previously saw a few months back at Harvard and Stone. But I saw her as Emily Gold and not in this new form of Velvet. I just loved her awesome downbeat.

Early, but awesome:

Candy Cigarettes opened the day for me at the Jungle Gym stage. His set had these pulsating sounds mixed with a bit of blues. And yet, his personality was so relaxed that at the start I wasn't even sure his set had started.

Thumpasaurus sure stands by their name. With sax, drums, percussion and rapid fire vocals, this band thumped it up.

Ugly Sweaters brought the fun to life with some nifty moves on the stage monitors.

Here's waiting to next year's Broke LA Fest.

Bloke & Bird at Genghis Cohen

Bloke and Bird played Genghis Cohen this past Tuesday. Genghis Cohen is an interesting music venue. There is a small room that has been turned into a music stage, probably good for 50 people max. Then the rest of Genghis Cohen is a Chinese restaurant and bar.

I walked in and was surprised to see that I was in the middle of filming for an episode of Swedish Housewives -- a reality TV series shown in Sweden.

Bloke and Bird performed a quick 20 minute set. Though shorter than the standard 30 minute set, folks still enjoyed it. The past times I've seen them, they've gone with an acoustic set. For this set, they introduced some dance beats. Loved it.

Irontom with Zachary Kibbee and The Shakers at The Satellite

A new month means new residencies. First stop this month was The Satellite. Zachary Kibbee hit the stage first for me. His blues style music was backed with bandmates. Quote of the set, "These guys are pretty good. If it weren't for them, I'd just be playing the guitar like an asshole." Of note, towards the end of the set, the bandmates lit up some cigerattes.

Irontom is the April residency band. I saw them a few years ago at the Silverlake Lounge. The lead singer is just as wild as I remembered. He moves his body in a jagged manner. He also loved to rub his chest and then went out to grasp hands in the audience. I was thinking, "Hmm, body odor?" Ha, never mind those moment, it was a great set.

The Shakers are a band I saw at least a couple times a year, but some time has passed since I last saw them. Lead singer and friend Jodie is no longer with the band. The band has re-grouped with a new lead singer. Many of the songs are the same, but it was interesting to see the new take on the vocals. Got to say, loved it when the lead singer swung that hair.