Hotel Cafe: Monday Monday

It was off to Hotel Café to enjoy the Monday Monday series that is on Mondays. It is a time when singer songwriters do short 3 song sets. If you stay the full night, you can get introduced to up to 10 artists. On this particular night, I hung out for half the night. Opening up was an unannounced performance by December Fades (Kevin Rogers) who was also doing sound that night. Chris Del Rosario is someone I'd seen previously at Junior High (when it was in Hollywood). His songs were soft and wonderful. Tara Honda, I learned later, was on American Idol. She mentioned that she got her ticket to Hollywood, but didn't get to advance. Yet, the experience obviously had a positive impact as she is still singing in Hollywood. Arend Lee Jessurun was up twice. He did his own solo set and then backed up Jessica Gerhardt -- they just so happen to be paramours. Brenda Carsey is someone I've seen a number of times. It was great running into her again. Jessica Gerhardt closed out the night for me. Like with Chris Del Rosario and Brenda Carsey, I'd also seen her perform before. I previously caught her set at The Hi Hat. She was also the host for the night, taking on the duties that are normally performed by Joel Eckels. All that for just $5. 

Chris Del Rosario

Tara Honda

Arend Lee Jessurun

Brenda Carsey

Jessica Gerhardt

December Fades

Big Top DIY Fest

With many Los Angeles music venues still filling out their schedules after the ending of COVID-19 lockdowns, local bands are finding other ways to perform live around the city. One such way happened on July 3rd in a Highland Park backyard. Based on what I heard from the stage, it appears that Bloom Closet Records had asked the owners of the home if they could put on a music event in the backyard once the pandemic had eased. The owners said yes and the result was that 300 or so people got to enjoy a DIY music festival. 

The sets started off at 6:30 p.m., which was a perfect time as the summer heat was quickly dissipating into a pleasant evening and night.

The bands I came to see were Suzie True with anxiety filled end of relationship songs and Cheekface with their adoring fans. Suzie True was the last band to play before the sun set while Cheekface played until the festival organizers felt that the next door neighbors might be on the verge of calling the cops -- 10:30 p.m.

Suzie True

Cheekface

Opening up was Max Look who kicked it up on stage with dramatic spins of the body and guitar. June Swoon emphasized that one shouldn't date or marry someone named Jared. (The first thing that came to mind was, "Did she also mean Jared Leto?") 

Max Look

June Swoon

Buckets and GUPPY get the award for going with the true theme of the festival: Big Top. Both wore face paintings to emphasize that clowns can play music. Buckets read a letter on stage while GUPPY's bass player showed his stretching abilities.

Buckets

The festival was attending my many notables of the Los Angeles music scene such as Potty Mouth and Ramonda Hammer. 

GUPPY

WFNM Online: Ships Have Sailed, Trapdoor Social and Luke De-Sciscio

On a recently Wednesday night, I stopped by WFNM to catch Ships Have Sailed, Trapdoor Social, and Luke De-Sciscio.

It was three great sets to catch.

Luke De-Sciscio was playing at 3 a.m. from the UK. He was playing in his car with his girlfriend (?) doing the recording. He said something about how maybe he should be afraid about strange people walking around at 3 a.m., but that he was probably the strange person playing tunes in his car. Got to give it to him for being thoughtful about his neighbors and playing inside his car versus his apartment/home.

Luke De-Sciscio

Skylar from Trapdoor Social played next. The band seems to have a nice following of fans from South America. One would think that after this pandemic has passed that they should head to South America.

Trapdoor Social

Ships Have Sailed talked about supporting local businesses. He mentioned how he does take out from his favorite restaurants. I'll be honest that I've avoided my favorite restaurants due to fear of COVID-19. I've yet to read a study about people catching COVID-19 from takeout food so I'm probably going to be heading to some of my favorite spots as well in the next couple weeks to give some support there.

Ships Have Sailed

Buzzbands Quarantunes: Oddnesse

Oddnesse hit Buzzbands' Instagram page on Saturday. She provided a soothing performance during this time of coronavirus. She was also very cheerful throughout the set, letting us know that her excellent sound was driven by a microphone that was above her. It looks like musicians are figuring out ways to provide great online performances. What was amusing? She started to take off her glasses before starting a song, because she said that the comments being written were making her laugh.

WFNM: Kordelya and Austin Ward

I probably found a new favorite musician in Kordelya via WFNM. A great personality with solid vocals. Though the lyrics were all in Spanish, it didn't matter to this English speaker. And the music just has the perfect pop rhythms.

Kordelya

Austin Ward opened the night for me with smooth deep vocals that got me thinking of the great pop vocalists from the 80s.

Austin Ward

McKail Seely Online

I happened to come across McKail Seely via six degrees of separation. I'm a fan of Lauren Ruth Ward who runs in the same circle as Ari Tibi. I then caught Ari Tibi at Hotel Cafe. Then I learned that Ari Tibi is in a band called Luci. I caught that band, which also includes McKail Seely. (I believe Ari may have left the band recently.)

While doing "stay at home" work, I happened to notice that McKail Seely was doing an Instragram Live set. I'd never actually seen her do a live set so I turned away from doing my work and tuned in to her live set. She was doing her live set from a bathroom. That was a unique set to see right there. It probably helped with the vocal acoustics.

A fun diversion from work.

WFNM Online: Georgia Green, Cheridomingo, Hayley Warner

This was my first time catching WFNM in 2020 and it so happened to be an online version of the night. I'm happy that I tuned in. Georgia Green opened the night up. She's also with the band Trousdale. Her set was coming from her parent's home. Though she might have had some problems getting her phone set up (as her face was always on the lower bottom of the screen), it was great hearing one of the vocalists from Trousdale. That band just knows how to sing.

Georgia Green

Cheridomingo played their set from the home of one of the band members. They played a rocking acoustic set while also have fun messing around with each other. Though perhaps not a perfect example of social distancing, they did spread out throughout the house.

Cheridomingo

I think Hayley Warner mentioned that she was doing her set at either a friend's house or recording studio. She played her set under the low lights of a single lamp. The lighting set the tone of a wonderful singer-songwriter set with vocals that had that Aussie accent.

Hayley Warner

Stuck at Home: Rituals of Mine/The Quarantine Stream

In this time of quarantine, it is nice to catch some music online.

On Tuesday, I caught Rituals of Mine. I first saw them at The Echo when they were opening for Y La Bamba. I admit at the time, it was a big shock, because Y La Bamba is folk while Rituals of Mine is hard core punk/metal. Watching the band do their music online and knowing what to expect was enjoyable and fun. They had the whole set-up: lights, sound, stage space.

Rituals of Mine

Come Wednesday, it was over to Lily Water's The Quarantine Stream festival. I got to catch Space Honey, Precious Kid and Lily Waters (of course, Lily Waters). Space Honey had this beatnik poetry style going throughout her set. Precious Kid was enjoyable pop. And Lily Waters had that country vocal whine nailed.

Space Honey

Precious Kid

Lily Waters

Bootleg Theater: Temme Scott with Ruth and Trousdale

Temme Scott put on an excellent final residency night. Opening up was Trousdale who can most definitely challenge the band Joseph for pitch perfect harmonies. Then there was Ruth of Lauren Ruth Ward. She played the set with her back to the audience while sitting on the floor. Audience in the know obviously backed the Bootleg for her set. Rounding it out was Temme Scott with a beautiful singer-songwriter set.

Trousdale

Ruth

Temme Scott

The Satellite: Cartalk with Cheekface

It was off to The Satellite to catch Cartalk. The month of February is their residency. The lead singer had an amusing story. At a prior set, a person came up and said, "Truck, I really love your music." Response was, "Truck? No, my name is Chuck." The music rings of America folk.

Cartalk

Cheekface opened up the night for me. Their sound rocked The Satellite.

Cheekface

Club Tee Gee: Neon Cowgirl and Andrew St. James

I've been in slow recovery from an illness. Yet, I found the energy to head out to catch Neon Cowgirl at Club Tee Gee. It is always a joy to catch Holly Marilyn. Her current music is very introspective.

Neon Cowgirl

I was going to leave after neon Cowgirl, but ended up with talking to a friend of Andrew St. James. I decided to stay for half of set of this San Francisco artist. It was amusing (or maybe it shouldn't have been amusing) listening to his random comments about his difficulties with San Francisco law enforcement.

Andrew St. James

Bootleg Theater: Kate Clover with Strawberry Army and Blue Rose Rounders

I was able to make it out to the Bootleg Theater to catch Kate Clover. She is one of my favorite musicians in Los Angeles. With the band Crocodiles backing her, she was swinging that microphone stick and rocking out.

Kate Clover

Blue Rose Rounders and Strawberry Army opened. Strawberry Army was first up with their pop-punk style. They're such a fun band. They'll kick up those heels while singing catchy tunes. Blue Rose Rounders brought in the folk and blues sounds.

Strawberry Army

Blue Rose Rounders

The Hi Hat: Momma and Gal Pal

For my last outing for 2019, I took off to The Hi Hat where I caught Gal Pal and Momma. I was actually under the weather (still under the weather while writing this), but I was bored with sticking around my apartment.

I stuck around for two of the bands on the bill.

First up was Gal Pal, which I previously caught at Non Plus Ultra opening up for Kevin. I love how this band switches up instruments. And they ended the set with their drummer playing out in the audience, similar to what was done at Non Plus Ultra. It was a thrilling way to close the set.

Gal Pal

Momma was a band I hadn't seen before. Their music has a garage rock/pop sound. Those vocals are silky smooth. Moment of the set was when the lead singer admitted that she hung out that day to catch two Tiktok influencers. She found herself surrounded by 13 year olds.

Momma