Broke LA 2018: Day 2 Highlights

FYI: I'm also doing cross-promotion over at CaliforniaRocker.com for Broke LA Fest.

This year, Broke LA Fest shifted from warehouse locations to DTLA's Regent Theater and surrounding areas. The festival also expanded from one day to two days. This expansion just meant more time to explore the local music scene as presented by the staff of Broke LA.


Some Day 2 Highlights:

Amusing Moments with Super Fan: Sizzy Rocket

She danced her way across the stage like Lady Gaga probably would.

Lyric of the set: You say you want to meet me in the Champagne Room.

I was standing on one side of the stage, taking photos, when a super fan came rushing towards me from my blind side. When she came up to me, she shoved me away from the stage. Hmm. I decided to stay out of her way and moved to the other side of the stage. A few moments later as I was looking through the photos on my camera, another shove came via my blindside. There was just no where near the stage to stay. I moved away from the front of the stage for the rest of the set.

Sizzy Rocket

Dawson's Creek Set: Small Forward

Am I the only one who sees James Van Der Beek when looking at the lead singer?

While watching this band inside the Love Song Bar, I was brought back to when I took a vacation in Iceland. On my first day in Iceland, I ran across a music festival of singer-songwriters that was held across various bars and outdoor areas across Reykjavik. What pleasant memories rushed back while listening to Small Forward.

Small Foward

Double Duty: Blushh

This band is fronted by Shab. I've crossed paths with her a number of time throughout the years. Not as a being part of a band, but various times while she was doing photography or promoting an event. This time she had some double duty going on. Not only was she running the Love Song Bar stage, but she was also played a set on that stage.

Comment of the set said with a guitar pick in her mouth: That was not Radiohead.

Blushh

Fans fans fans: CLARA-NOVA

She brings the sophisticated to her lyrics. Who can't love the lyric: I trace the constellation.

And there are those power vocals backed by bass and synth vibrations.

Oh, and the fans. As soon as the set ended, her fans came up one by one to say how much they loved her set. Others came over, wanting her to sign their CLARA-NOVA purchases. She was barely able to tear down her music equipment to make way for the next band.

CLARA-NOVA

Hanging outside: Flavia

Comment of the set: My name's Flavia. Yeah, that's my name.

Comment of the set 2: This song is for all the exes that stayed too long.

She brought the electronica sounds to the Outdoor Stage. I previously caught her at Hotel Cafe about a year ago. I was hoping for some LED shoes, but I guess that wasn't going to happen at 3 p.m.

Flavia

It's Sunday, Time for Church? One High Five

The whole set was like watching a good old Southern Baptist pastor holding a religious revival. Or an African American church service where hands are held high. The whole set brought out the desire to hold out your hands and give praise to the band.

One High Five

The Colour Coast with Night Talks and Michelle Young & The Collection (The Satellite)

Michelle Young and The Collection opened up the night at The Satellite. There was a poetry reading, which was for Emery Becker. Becker is a fellow photographer that was killed recently while riding his motorcycle on the 5 freeway. It was an emotional moment. The band also had current American Idol contestant, Effie Passero, on stage as a backing vocalist for a couple songs.

Michelle Young & The Colleciton

This was my first time seeing Night Talks in 2018. And the first thing I noticed was the band was 2 musicians short. I learned that the keyboardist is busy with school while the second guitarist decided to pursue DJing. The reduced band size actually tilts the band towards a more rock sound vs pop.

Night Talks

The Colour Coast is the residency band at The Satellite for April. This band intertwines some stage choreography with tropical pop sounds.

The Colour Coast

Ramonda Hammer with Livingmore and illuminati hotties at the Echoplex

The most important debate that I was having with myself was: when will the bands start their sets? There were five bands playing Ramonda Hammer's 2nd residency night. Usually, there are 4 bands playing with the first set time at 9:15 p.m. I decided to show up at around 8:45 p.m. to see if that would work out. I obviously didn't get the memo. I walked in and there was a nice crowd already inside and the first band up was half way through their set.

My first full band set was illuminati hotties, which was a band that another photographer was there to see. That got me interested. The photographer mentioned something about them being a full of energy band. Then they started their set. The first song started on a very mellow pace. I was like, "What's this photographer talking about?" It didn't take long for the band to drive it up a couple notches. It was a fun set.

illuminati hotties

Livingmore is a band I've seen a handful of times. I figured I knew what to expect from the band, a bit of country influenced tunes with a charismatic lead. For this set, they turned down the country and went full on rock. It was awesome.

Livingmore

Ramonda Hammer is a band I last saw in late 2016. I'd noticed them playing around town, but never got to head out to their set. Well, they are the residency band for April at The Echo and since I love residency bands, I had no excuse. What did I notice: I guess they were doing eye glasses night. The lead singer was wearing eye glasses. At one point during the set she tossed the glasses off her face and it landed in front of her. Another band mate was in constant movement and my eyes kept looking at the glasses, seeing how close his foot would come to smashing the glasses. I don't believe the glasses were of any real value so all was good either way. The breaking of the eye glasses never happened for those interested.

Ramonda Hammer

Happy Hollows and Traps PS at Highland Park Bowl

It was off to Highland Park Bowl to catch Happy Hollows and Traps PS. Highland Park Bowl used be known as Mr. T's. I used to hang out there every so often, catching various punk rock bands.

This was my first time back to the location to catch some bands.

The highlight was Happy Hollows. I first saw this band way back in 2009. It was just fun catching their infectious enthusiasm.

Happy Hollows

Traps PS opened up the night with some artistic flair.

Traps PS

Sounds Like Disco and Sleep Still at The Satellite

It was a quick hit and run to The Satellite to see Sleep Still and Sounds Like Disco.

Interestingly, this was the first ever set for Sleep Still. For being their first set ever, they were solid with their melodic sounds. They had friends and relatives hanging with them. In fact, one musician's grandfather flew in for the night.

Sleep Still

This was my second time catching Sounds Like Disco. Their friends were right up to the front of the stage. This band gives their all with a high energy romp.

Sounds Like Disco

A Hi Hat Night: A Recent Thursday Night

It was a free night at The Hi Hat where I got to catch Allah Las, Peach Kelli Pop, Fenster and Swearing at Motorists.

The night started off with Swearing at Motorists. I'd say this set was part comedy and part exaggerated music. As for the comedy part, at one point he pointed out fans like Ted Danson and Tony Danza.

Swearing at Motorists

Fenster came in from Berlin, Germany. They gave us some German minimalism funk. And their comment of the night, "Should we make a music video with all of you? Who's famous on Twitter?" And someone replied, "I have 500 Instagram followers!"

Fenster

This was my second time seeing Peach Kelli Pop and their rapid fire music. That sound had a mosh pit going at The Hi Hat. What did I notice: this band cleared off the stage in 5 minutes.

Peach Kelli Pop

Final band up was Allah Las. This was my third time seeing them. I've had one long history with this band that provides you with a sound of drug induced haze. I've seen this band at two music festivals back in the 2011/2012 time frame - Eagle Rock Music Festival/Silverlake Jubilee.

Allah Las

It was a rainy night, but it didn't prevent folks from lining up and waiting in the rain.

One not so good thing about the night: there were a couple drunk hecklers, but the bands dealt with them in style.

Sikemor at The Satellite

Sikemor. Occasionally, a band follows me on Instagram. And then after a period of time I notice that they're playing a set at a venue I frequent. That's what happened with Sikemor. They followed me on Instagram, kept in contact and then I noticed they were playing The Satellite. I'm happy I caught their set. They have some sweet vocals that just make you want to fall in love.

Blank Tapes with Veronica Bianqui and Avid Dancer at The Echo

The brilliant thing about the Los Angeles Music Scene is that if you miss an artist/band one night, you're able to catch their next set within a month or so. I happened to miss Veronica Bianqui during Lauren Ruth Ward's residency as I was starting to feel ill and had to leave. And so I was eager to catch her during the Blank Tapes' residency. She played a shorted set out on The Echo patio.

Veronica Bianqui

Avid Dancer hit the stage inside The Echo. His drummer was on tour so he took his place behind the drums for this set. I also learned a piece of information that I didn't know prior: his wife used to front a band called Banta, a band I saw a couple times a few years back.

Avid Dancer

Blank Tapes closed out the night for me. I still couldn't help but think 70's psychedelic music. The lights via Stranger Liquids helped in the cause.

Blank Tapes

I loved how this night was about musicians backing each other up. Matt from Blank Tapes backed up Veronica Bianqui. Veronica Bianqui backed up Blank Tapes. Brandon from Dream Phases backed up Avid Dancer and Blank Tapes.

Gypsum and Sleuth Dogs at The Satellite

It was off to The Satellite to catch a favorite band, Gypsum. I swear that they took their music composition course work seriously. Their music is just so beautifully written. They need to get a residency so that folks can discover this band.

Gypsum

Sleuth Dogs followed up next with fuzzy sounds. Moment of the set: The drummer got the set list mixed up and started hitting the beat to the wrong song. The lead singer turned around and said, "Explain, dude." The drummer then did a quick smart phone check.

Sleuth Dogs

The Blank Tapes residency at the Echoplex

This was one country/psychedelic night at the Echoplex. Trans Van Santos opened the night with an Uber driver story. The Uber driver made a pass on him, asking if he wanted to hang out in an hotel room.

Trans Van Santos

Psychic Jiu-Jitsu had some radio signals blasting in the middle of their set. There was also an amusing comment, "Thanks to The Blank Tapes for having us and I'm not saying that because I'm in The Blank Tapes."

Psychic Jiu-Jitsu

The Blank Tapes had me thinking that their sound was like seeing a weird sequence from the comedy "I dream of Jaennie."

The Blank Tapes

Dream Phases ended the night for this psychedelic series of bands. Their sound sent the crowd out on a smooth high.

Dream Phases

Jesse Jo Stark and Jimmy Sweet at Harvard & Stone

It was off to Harvard and Stone to catch Jesse Jo Stark. Yet, I found myself so happy I was also able to catch Jimmy Sweet. He has some deep vocals that make you go wow.

Jimmy Sweet

Jesse Jo Stark came up next. Her fan base was out. And why not. She approaches music with an understated tone, but still so so compelling.

Jesse Jo Stark

Young Jesus with Follies at the Bootleg Theater

I headed off to the Bootleg Theater on February's last Wednesday night to catch Young Jesus. It was their final residency night. I had previously seen them before at The Hi Hat and really enjoyed their set. I was eager to catch them again. They didn't disappoint. They started their set with an avant-garde flair. Then their set shifted to moments of calm and moments of explosion. It was all very thrilling. 

Young Jesus

Opening up was Follies.

Follies

Harvard and Stone Celebration

This is a night I had circles on my calendar. Harvard and Stone was celebrating its 7th anniversary and Lauren Ruth Ward was playing a set. It was kind of a secret, I guess. Though I wonder how much of a secret. It was listed on the Harvard and Stone website. Buzzbands listed it. Though posters for the event stated their was a special guest.

Turtles On Speed opened up the night with a rock sound that mirrored their fashion sense of torn and ragged cloths. I did have a conversation with a photographer, Robert Noise, who usually shoots stadium shows. We had an amusing comparison on ISOs. He stated he usually shot around 2500. I said I usually shot around 6400. Yep, the difference between shooting stadiums vs local venues.

Turtles on Speed

Up next was Bjorn and the Sun. I actually first saw them at Harvard and Stone. They haven't been active much recently as from what I can tell the lead singer spends time doing photo tours in Cuba. They provided some joyous folk inspired sounds.

Bjorn and the Sun

Then it was time for the special guest hitting the stage at straight up midnight: Lauren Ruth Ward. When she was about to start her set, she said, "I'm the special guest." Ha ha. The place was packed with love both from the audience and artist. Sure, Harvard and Stone is like 1/5 the size of the Echoplex, but that didn't make a difference. Laurent gave it all and her fans returned it.

Amusing moment: anyone who watches Lauren Ruth Ward knows that she likes to reach out and touch her audience. So I'm pretty sure one individual in the front row was new to seeing one of her sets. She reached out with her hand and there was an awkward ticking of seconds as the person she was reaching out to wasn't sure what he should do. Finally, he reached out and they had their moment.

Lauren Ruth Ward