The Satellite: Kristeen Young, Glam Skanks and Fox Violets

A new month means a new residency band/artist at The Satellite. For the month of October it is Kristeen Young. Of interest, I'd seen all three bands/artists on the bill. Kristeen Young back in 2017 and Glam Skanks and Fox Violet in 2018.

Kristeen Young is a full on art extravaganza. Those vocals that just soar without warning. A fashion sense that is SciFi futuristic.

Kristeen Young

Opening up was Fox Violet that rocked to out.

Fox Vioet

And then there was Glam Skanks. The name says it all. This band is rock glam. Hair flings. Heavy metal power vocals. And an all female band. What more is there not to want here.

Glam Skanks

The Hi Hat: Cat Scan, Susan and Traps PS

It was a double album release party with both Cat Scan and Susan celebrating similar accomplishments. I'd just recently seen Cat Scan at Happy Sundays Long Beach. Over 3 years had passed since I last saw Susan. In fact, I saw Susan three years plus ago at The Hi Hat. As having just seen Cat Scan, I was more than ready for the chaotic beauty. What I was surprised to learn was that lead singer David moved out of Los Angeles. Per LA Record, he moved to San Diego. I wonder what that means for Cat Scan? As for Susan, I knew I loved them the first time I saw them, but since so many years had passed, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. What I got was some awesome garage rock/punk sounds. And no, as I learned back in 2016, no one in the band is named Susan.

Can Scan

Susan

Opening up the night was Traps PS.

Traps PS

Zebulon: Makoto Kawashima

More than a few months had gone past since I last went to Zebulon. I recently decided that I just needed to head out to the Zebulon. I got to catch Makoto Kawashima from Japan. Seats were set up for the night and folks were very mesmerized by his saxophone artistry. He falls under what is called free jazz.

Makoto Kawashima

Opening was Tashi Dorji doing a guitar set, also free jazz.

Echoplex: Fell Runner with Expensive Magnets and Johanna Samuels

Fell Runner was the September residency band at The Echo/Echoplex. This band jams with intensity. They're hard to put into a box other than they're a mix of everything put together. And I'm not saying a mix of pop, rock, punk. Include in there some jazz and classical, as well.

Fell Runner

Expensive Magnets played some funky jazz tunes. This was their first set ever though both principles are established musicians.

Expensive Magnets

Johanna Samuels opened the night with some singer-songwriter cheer.

Johanna Samuels

The Hi Hat: Opus Vitae with The Haunts and Bogan Via

It was off to The Hi Hat to catch a couple bands that I didn't catch at Echo Park Rising. My main reason for going was to catch Opus Vitae. Their music is layered and gorgeous. What was fascinating was watching the musicians switching it up on various instruments. The bassist hitting the keys for a song. The guitarist then hitting the keys. Another guitarist hitting the drums.

Opus Vitae

The Haunts were another band that played Echo Park Rising. I was talking to another photographer who mentioned that he fell in love with the band at Echo Park Rising. That was a good endorsement. I loved their rock sound.

The Haunts

Bogan Via didn't play Echo Park Rising, but I did happen to catch them during a Wild Riot event in late 2018. They played it soft and soothing.

Bogan Via

Harvard & Stone: Luci and Rambling Ways

Talk about some heavenly voices. Luci has three lead vocalists who just shine.

Luci

Rambling Ways brings the Latin flavored sounds. Just a thrill to catch this band.

Rambling Ways

The Satellite: Love Nothing with Gracie Gray and Jet Trash

Love Nothing is the residency band at The Satellite. They brought some solid rock sounds to The Satellite. There are some real tender tales in those lyrics.

Love Nothing

Gracie Gray hit it out of the park with her set. I just love her vocals and how she wraps that up in her layered music. Her vocals have a bedtime story quality to them.

Gracie Gray

Jet Trash opened up the night. They said they hadn't played a set in 2 years. They put on such an energizing set, I had to ask, "Are they sure they haven't played together in 2 years?"

Jet Trash

The Smell: Kicked off the Streets, Skippin Stoned and The Slop

A few months had passed since the last time I was at The Smell. I figured it was time to head on over. It was a night of mosh pits. Skippin Stoned started it off by encouraging the crowd to start moshing. By the time Kicked Off The Street hit the stage, there was no need for encouragement. The fans knew what to do. The Slop did a quick set. It was a 15 minute set, but worthy of praise.

Kicked Off The Street

Interesting moments: The Smell was having problems with their lights. Kicked Off The Street had to play their last couple songs in near total darkness.

The Slop

Skippin Stoned

The Hi Hat: The Morning Yells, Jessi Williams and Coyote, Sumeau

Way too much time had passed since I last went to The Hi Hat. I'm talking May. How is that even possible? It was time to change that by heading off to catch a night where I knew I'd enjoy. Two of the bands on the schedule were bands I'd seen before: Sumeau and Jessi Williams and Coyote. The third was a band that I'd meant to catch The Morning Yells.

It was a sweet night filled with a crowd that were friends with the various bands. Jessi light-heartedly tried to convince her friends to move to Topanga.

Jessie Williams and Coyote

Sumeau reminded folks why they're a cult music group.

Sumeau

The Morning Yells is a band that share song-writer duties. It is cool knowing that everyone in the group is involved in creating their songs.

The Morning Yells

Lucky Strike Live: The Puscie Jones Revue and The Things

I got an invite to catch The Puscie Jones Revue at Lucky Strike Live. I had heard of the band, but never seen them before. I also had never been to Lucky Strike Live, which is at the Hollywood and Highland complex.

I figured this would be a nice adventure. And it sure was. I have to say for a music venue, which is more of a bowling alley, they put a lot of effort into having good stage lights. It was awesome. Now for the Puscie Jones Revnue, that was one flamboyant show. There were three costume changes. Maybe more. The music was funk and the action on stage was non-stop (well, except when there were intermissions for costume changes, but even then the music continued).

The Puscie Jones Revue

Opening up the night was The Thing. They rocked it and rolled it. This band loves to riff. Their last song was perhaps 20 minutes long as they highlighted their driving sounds.

The Thing

Hot Shot Mufflers: Lune Rose, Xoller and Oddnesse

This was largely a night of firsts. This was my first time ever at an event space called Hot Shot Mufflers. I was told that it used to be a muffler shop that is now an event space. I have to say the those who transformed the spot did a good job at it.

This was my first time also seeing Lune Rose. Now I am familiar with Lune Rose as she used to play keys with Night Talks. She left Night Talks a couple years back, but she's still involved in the music scene with her singer-songwriter music. There's a quiet tenderness to her music, but don't let that think that Lune isn't a competitive person. As her set was ending, she challenged folks in the crowd to a game of ping pong.

Lune Rose

Xoller was another first for me and a first for her, as well. This was her first set ever. It was a solid first set. She looked comfortable both with her vocals and stage presence. Impressive.

Xoller

Oddnesse closed out the night. I've seen Oddnesse a couple times prior. One has to love those folk Americana tunes. The crowd demanded an encore and the band provided one.

Oddnesse

Bootleg Theater: Polartropica with Lucy & La Mer and WASI

A recent Monday night at the Bootleg Theater was the final night of the Love is Gay tour by Polartropica, Lucy and La Mer and WASI.

Polartropica always puts on a vibrant, colorful show. That was emphasized by her pink costume and blue hair. And also the stage design that Jess Joy (previous of Moon Honey) did. Joining in for a couple songs was Jett Kwong.

Polartropica

WASI opened up the night with their exercise routine rock. You can't help but work up a sweat watching their constant movement.

WASI

Lucy and La Mer is shifting from their sing-songwriter sounds. There is definitely a shift to an uptempo pop beat.

Lucy & La Mer

Shaken Vanity Block Party: Light Shadows, Jenna Noelle, The Adjacents

Shaken Vanity has a cool block party that is thrown on the first Friday of every month. From what I heard, the neighborhood allows businesses in the area to do whatever they want on the first Friday of the month. Honestly, it does look like this is the only business that throws an event.

This happened to be my second time attending this block party. I got to catch Light Shadows, Jenna Noelle and The Adjacents.

Light Shadows with a Western Style Scifi attitude. One might actually think about the TV series Firefly while watching the band.

Light Shadows

Jenna Noelle slowed things down with some thoughtful tunes.

Jenna Noelle

The Adjacents ratcheted things up with some rock tunes.

The Adjacents