The Goldfish: Sonoda with Brin + Mitchell Brown

I decided at the last minute that I'd see what was going on at The Goldfish. I went there in early September when they had their first live bands and hadn't been back. In fact, I'd barely even checked to see what was on their schedule. I think the issue is that many of their nights are dance nights and so it just doesn't make it on my list of venues that I regularly check up on. Luckily for me, the night I decided to head over to their Instagram page was the night that they had live music. The night was listed as "An Underwater Ambient Series." Sonoda was on the bill and that was a name that I recognize well and so that was the nudge that convinced me to head on out. Opening was Brin + Mitchell Brown.

Sonoda

The first thing I noticed was that The Goldfish had made adjustments to their stage. It was in the same location -- where the VIP area (which wasn't really a VIP area) used to be for the prior occupant, The Hi Hat. What the venue did do was replace the straight lines that made the stage have a geometric look with a circular style (which, okay, is also a geometric look). I wonder if they made the changes based on feedback that they were getting from bands / musicians.

Brin + Mitchell Brown

The night was dedicated to synthesizer music. I can't say I have a full appreciation of the music. My first full introduction to this type of music was when I spent some time in San Francisco back in 2013 and heard multiple nights of this type of music. It is a bit too eclectic for me still, but I do try my best at appreciating the music.

Bar Lubitsch: Olivia Grace, Kill K3nny, Seth Glier, Girl Wilde, Lev

I decided to take off to WFNM for a night where I hadn't seen any of the musicians before so it was all new. Olivia Grace was perhaps the closest musician that I came across before. I noticed that she had played Echo Park Rising a year where I was doing photography for Buzzbands. I just didn't have the opportunity to catch her set. Her music has a soothing pop sound.

Olvia Grace

Kill K3nny came up next with an upbeat pop set. His wife was up at the front, giving some positive vibes. 

Kill K3nny

Seth Glier had flown in that morning from the east coast. Though he is an east coast person, he had a couple friends backing him up who live in Los Angeles. If I understood correctly, one of them used to live in the same town as Seth Glier. His music had a blues sound.

Seth Glier

Girl Wilde brought the flamboyant sound. Sort of reminded me of Jen Awad who had played at WFNM just recently. I wish I had gotten to see that set, but just couldn't make it. 

Girl Wilde

Lev closed out the night with a packed venue filled with fans. His vocals are perfect and seductive. The words just flow perfectly. It was an absolutely enthralling set. 

Lev

The Echo: Cryogeyser with Lecx Stacy and Alms

It was a fun time at The Echo last Monday. Lecx Stacy opening it up. With a drummer backing him up, he leaped into a rap and electronic set that had him bouncing around the stage. His set got those in the audience ramped up as a mosh pit started up. 

Lecx Stacy

Alms came up next and changed the direction of the music towards rock. A four piece that had one remembering the alternative bands of the 80s / 90s. 

Alms

Cryogeyser is the resident band for the month of October. I saw the band previously at Non Plus Ultra a couple years ago. It was nice seeing them getting the residency at The Echo. There were some issues with monitors and such that caused some frustrations, but though the band might not have been able to hear themselves properly, it all worked out fine for those in the audience. 

Cryogeyser

Highland Park Bowl: The Walks of Life, Nightjacket, Kiwicha

There were two reasons I went over to Highland Park Bowl this past Friday night: The Walks of Life and Nightjacket.

The Walks of Life is a band I've followed for a few years now. I love their folk sounds. It might be folk, but they bring the energy every time I've seen them.

The Walks of Life

As for Nightjacket, this is one of the bands I came across during the pandemic, watching online sets. They really intrigued me, especially their song "Lonely Archer." I just love how the guitar starts the song with that Family of the Year vibe. The vocals for that song are so tenderly perfect, as well. The set opened up with that song, which thrilled me. 

Nightjacket

Kiwicha is a band from Chicago. They have an ethereal sound that is gently crafted by this two piece band. Their one desire in their trip through Los Angeles, a good suggestion for a sushi bar.

Kiwicha

The Echo: Kairos Creature Club with Poppy Jean Crawford and Canned Peach

Kairos Creature Club is from Florida and made a joke about the fact that they were all vaccinated. They're also the residency band at The Echo for the month of September. They let the sun shine through their music. 

Kairos Creature Club

Poppy Jean Crawford closed out the night. I've had the opportunity to catch her sets twice before. A sure fire rocking hit. She had some dress issues. She accidentally split her dress apart and showed a whole lot of leg that was not intended. She didn't let that get in the way of her putting on an awesome set.

Poppy Jean Crawford

Canned Peach opened up the night with rocking sounds. 

Canned Peach

Highland Park Bowl: Night Talks and The Social

It was off to Highland Park Bowl for the first time since early 2020. It was also my first time since the re-opening of our music venues to catch Night Talks. You can depend on one thing when it comes to this band, a set filled with expressive display. Their pop sounds were on display for a packed crowd. In fact, some folks from the sidewalks, looking through the window, also spent a few moments watching the band play.

Night Talks

The Social came on next with their own brand of pop sounds. What I found highlighted the band was some beautiful vocals. The melodies are perfectly crafted. Such an enjoyable set that had their fans standing within inches of the stage to get the whole experience. 

The Social

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