The Smell: Potty Mouth and Total Heat

This was a night I had circled on my calendar. I love catching Potty Mouth. Their punk music hooks you in and keeps you energized. This was my fourth time seeing them. I've also listened to their music about as much as any other local band. I never tire of them.

Potty Mouth

Total Heat opened with some velvet sounds from their lead drummer/singer.

Total Heat

Bootleg Theater: Johanna Samuels with Sofia Wolfson and LIA

Sofia Wolfson opened the night with songs about love and breakups.

Quote of the night 1: This is a song about when you breakup with someone and you think you're over it until you see them do something on social media.

Quote of the night 2: This is a song about how men suck. (Of course, this was said with the backdrop of an all male backing band.)

Sofia Wolfson

LIA came on next with a sound that at times reminded me of Alanis Morissette. There was one moment that thrilled her. Before one song, she started waving her arms back and forth above her head. The audience followed along and after the song she yelled out, "F*ck yeah, crowd participation. I was kind of just kidding."

LIA

Johanna Samuels was in her second residency night. And this was actually my second time seeing her. Her set had a tender side to it. And a whole lot of giggling between songs.

Johanna Samuels

Stories Books & Cafe: Mara Connor

Mara Connor. I happen to run across Mara Connor about every 6 months or so. It is always a joy. I love her voice. I love the simplicity of her music style. On this night, it was spent at Stories Books and Cafe in Echo Park. There's an open area in the rear of the bookstore that is used for such events. We were in the tail end of a 100 degree plus heatwave. It was hot, but there were a number of familiar faces in the audience and it was fun having conversations as well as listening to a talented musician.

Zebulon: The Entire Universe with Local Hero and BOYTOY

It was time well spent at Zebulon on a recent Saturday night. First, it was free. Second, I got to catch up with Local Hero/Andy Clockwise and The Entire Universe as well as see BOYTOY for the first time.

First up was Local Hero (aka Andy Clockwise). I've followed Andy Clockwise for years. He is a high energy performer and very music focused. So music focused that he screamed a couple times at the sound guy when the sound wasn't up to snuff. By the end of the set, sweat glistened across his face.

Andy Clockwise

BOYTOY is a band from New York. Their bassist was feeling ill so the bassist from Cat Scan stepped in. This confused some folks. One person tapped me on the shoulder and asked if Cat Scan was playing the night instead of BOYTOY. They're a psychedelic band with a drummer that has too much fun and their fashion sense reminds you of how folks dressed while drinking at an Old West Saloon.

BOYTOY

Comment of the night via BOYTOY regarding Local Hero: They play their songs backwards and have sex while doing so.

I first saw The Entire Universe at the Echoplex earlier this year. It was fun catching up with this band that has disco style fashion sense alongside their 70s influenced style.

The Entire Universe

Jim Wilson and Rocco DeLuca at Zebulon

I wanted to catch Rocco DeLuca at Zebulon. I decided to show up at around 9:45 p.m. even though it was mentioned that the music would start at 9 p.m. Why? Well, the previous time I headed off to Zebulon, it was mentioned that the music would start at 9 p.m., but the first band didn't go on until 10 p.m. And would you know it, I probably missed half of Rocco DeLuca's set. What I did catch was a minimalist sound, almost passive. It was beautiful. I was kicking myself for not coming earlier.

Rocco DeLuca

Jim Wilson was the headliner. His set went through three phases. First were a couple songs in a singer-songwriter mode. Then he hit some rock notes. Then he went for soul. It was a jamming time.

What I noticed: Jim Wilson's set almost ended before it began. Rocco DeLeuca asked Jim to join him on stage for a song. After the song, Jim headed off stage and tripped while stepping off. Close call.

Jim Wilson

Zebulon: The Big Pink with Marc Baker and Black Paw

One know it will be a good night of music when The Big Pink is anchoring the night.

Opening up was Marc Baker with some suave styling looks and music. And he swung that microphone like an expert.

Marc Baker

This was my second time seeing Black Paw. The lights were low for his rock driven music.

Black Paw

The Big Pink had Zebulon packed in. I just love this band. Bright lights. Thrilling sounds.

The Big Pink

The Echo: Livingmore with Cape Weather and Nightgown

It was Livingmore's record release party and I, of course, had to be there.

Opening up was Cape Weather with some soft psychedelic tunes.

Cape Weather

Nightgown sped things up with lead singer Laurel's animated on stage presence. 

Nightgown

Then Livingmore hit the stage, looking fabulous and ready to get the crowd swooning. By the end of the set, sweat was left behind.

Livingmore

The Whisky A Go Go: Royal Distortion, Vigil of War, earthsleep and Blue Silk

My occasional venture out to the Sunset Strip was driven by, who else, Royal Distortion (members of Barb Wire Dolls).

Blue Silk opened the night with some jazzy tunes. Compared to the other bands, it felt like they were playing with the sound turned down by half. The band even admitted as much when they said they were opening things up on a quiet note. Turned down or not, they set the good vibes going.

Blue Silk

earthsleep followed. For some reason, I felt they changed their sound up a bit. I'm used to hearing lead singer, Cindy, screaming her lungs out. This time out, I swear she controlled her vocals more. It all worked out.

earthsleep

This was my second time seeing Vigil of War. I love how this band has the confidence to use the full stage. Lead singer Alicia doesn't hide behind the microphone all set long. She moves around that stage like she owns it.

Vigil of War

Okay, so this is only my second time seeing Royal Distortion, but I'm a long time fan of Barb Wire Dolls.  So much charisma on stage.

Royal Distortion

The Paranoyds and Moon Honey at the Levitt Pavillion

I'm not going to lie, I think I'm addicted to The Paranoyds. The more I think about it, the reason I'm addicted to them is because they remind me of an old Los Angeles favorite band of mine called The Randies.

The last two times I've seen them, they've played as a four piece. I wasn't sure, but I figured that maybe their keyboardist had decided to call it quits. It was explained during their set that she was off with her side band. A band from Finland?

One has to say that Staz, the bassist, provides the humor in the band. When her dress was falling down her body as she jumped around the stage, she said, "This song is called Beyonce live streaming."  And then to downplay their great music, she said towards the end, "At least you're in MacArthur Park. We're done playing. We have merch and I'm selling some hairballs, too." The hairballs comment was in reference to the fact that at the end of the set, one could see her trying to get a strand of hair out of her mouth.

The Paranoyds

Closing out the night was Moon Honey. This band combines visuals with dissonant vocals. Their fashion sense makes you think of royalty visiting from a far away planet. The lights play into this as you think of Thor traveling through the Bifrost Bridge (okay, I'm not a Marvel expert so had to look up that term). And then Jess' vocals are dissonant to the core, making you think of what the future space aliens will bring to earth in terms of a cultural exchange.

Moon Honey

The Satellite: A Darker Bright, Super Space Nation, HUNTR

I had no clue what to expect on this particular night. I just spent the prior week working some long hours so just felt like doing some Monday night photography.

What did I get? Some bands that put some stage energy into their music.

For A Darker Bright, I imagined that the band was made up of musicians who either surf, play beach volleyball or live on the beach to soak up the sun. And I imagined that they just happened to run into each other randomly at a beach bar in the OC and decided then and there to form a band.

A Darker Bright

Super Space Nation started with a poem that actually jump started their set. I swear that I was expecting them to breakout and cover Top Gun's/Kenny Loggin's Danger Zone. What I noticed: the drummer acted part conductor throughout the set.

Super Space Nation

HUNTR brought the lights and hip-hop to close out the night. And there were some moments of hardcore drum beating.

HUNTR

Big Air at the Redwood Bar

Big Air. So it was off to the Redwood Bar to catch an early set by Big Air. The set didn't start off as early as expected as the lead singer headed off to the wrong Redwood Bar. That felt a bit deja vu to me. I swear I heard another band a few years back have to admit the same thing. I'm sure it happens a few times a year.

This band let's their musicianship shine.

The Smell: Miko Masoto, Lily Waters, Espresso

It was off to my occasional visit to The Smell.

Miko Masoto opened up with music that were part of the fun beach soundtracks of the 80s.

Miko Masoto

I listed Lily Waters as a favorite band that I came across in 2018. Those deep vocals thrill.

Lily Waters

Espresso had their female fan base pressed up close to the stage.

Espresso

The Satellite: Mo Dotti, Nanami Ozone, Easy Love

It was a nice time at The Satellite, catching bands where the lead vocalists are in other bands.

Mo Dotti lead singer does backing for Janelane and Peach Kelli Pop. The comment of the night has to go to the band, where the lead singer said to the DJ, "Be ready to drop the needle, because if there is an awkward silence, I'm going to feel like an idiot." And one couldn't help but notice the French Vanilla t-shirt worn by another member of the band.

Mo Dotti

Nanami Ozone was the middle band and there wasn't a connection with other bands I've seen. Of course, they're from Phoenix, which explains that. This band had a touch of orchestral rock and a touch of punk. And then, I couldn't help but notice that three members of the band wore caps, 2 baseball caps and a knitted cap.

Nanami Ozone

Easy Love has two sisters involved in the band. In this band, one sister takes the lead. In Summer Twins, the other sister takes the lead. What did I notice: there was a tambourine that got passed around to the members of the band. This was the second time I caught this band. The first time, the lead singer was under the weather, which impacted her vocals. It was cool to hear her being able to display solid vocals this time around.

Easy Love