Song Spotlight: Katie Ward's Make It Up To You (a night at Hotel Ziggy)

In a pre-Halloween set, Katie Ward brought her jazz composition and vocals to WFNM's showcase at Hotel Ziggy. This was my second time checking out one of her sets. The previous time was at Bar Lubitsch in August. Based on her Instagram account, it would seem she first made her mark in the San Diego jazz scene and has since shifted her attention to playing around Los Angeles at venues such as Gold-Diggers, Hotel Cafe, and the aforementioned venues. 

Katie Ward at Hotel Ziggy

Song Spotlight: Cissi TV's I Guess I Made It (a night at Zebulon)

Cissi TV (the moniker for multidisciplinary artist Cissi Efraimsson) used the day before Halloween to celebrate her debut EP release Mixed Signals. Zebulon was packed to support her accomplishment. Backing her up was an all-star of DIY Los Angeles musicians or as bassist Kelsey Hart (The Little Ghost of Death Valley Girls) put out, "Girl Power!" In additional to Hart, there was guitarist Staz Lindes of The Paranoyds and keyboardist Izzy Glaudini of Automatic rounded out the Efrainmsson's backing band. 

Cissi TV at Zebulon

Song Spotlight: Nikki Hahn's another 13 (a night at Hotel Ziggy)

Actress and singer Nikki Hahn opened up a pre-Halloween night at WFNM's showcase at Hotel Ziggy. The set highlighted her love of scary movies and characters. Her costume for the night was of vampire attire, which included a pearl white necklace. The bottom part of the necklace was drenched in fake blood with red beads running down her chest. Her electric guitarists (who I do believe is her father) was dressed as a lord vampire. Her other band mates were not as into the holiday spirit, but did sport some fake blood on their faces. 

Nikki Hahn at Hotel Ziggy

Song Spotlight: Devon Thompson's Wishing (a night at El Cid)

I first came across the back to basics rocker Devon Thompson at The Smell in late 2023. In 2024, she played a trio of sets at WFNM that I caught, the last one being an acoustic set. A bit too much time had passed since I last crossed paths with the self described "Angel from the Valley." When I noticed that she was playing El Cid, I circled the date. 

Devon Thompson at El Cid

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): Dec 7th - Dec 13th

A Handful (Bucket Full) of Show Alerts

Sunday, Dec 7th: Bruvvy at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 6 p.m.

I recently wrote a review of their set at Davey Wayne, which you can read here. 

Monday, Dec 8th: Dave Harrington at Zebulon. Doors at 7 p.m.
I recently wrote up a review of his set at Zebulon, which you can read here.

Tuesday, Dec 9th: Alex E.T. at Scribble. Doors at 7 p.m.

Read my song spotlight for "Calico II" here. 

Wednesday, Dec 10th: Adriana McCassim at Gold-Diggers. Doors at 7 p.m.

I listed her as one of my favorite new artists of 2023.

Wednesday, Dec 10th: Lower Merion at The Goldfish. Doors at 8 p.m.

Read my song spotlight for "Wolf Shirt (How I Picture Dallas)" here.

Wednesday, Dec 10th: Night Talks at the Fonda Theatre. Doors at 7 p.m.

Read my song spotlight for "Running on a Cloud" here. 

Wednesday, Dec 10th: Rachel Goodrich at Healing Force Records. Doors at 8 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for "Why Do We Fall in Love?" here. 

Thursday, Dec 11th: Buckets at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 9 p.m.

Read my song spotlight for "Judy" here.

Thursday, Dec 11th: Meels at the Fonda Theatre. Doors at 7:30 p.m.

Read my song spotlight for "Falcon and the Loon" here. 

Thursday, Dec 11th: Jett Kwong at Zebulon. Doors at 8 p.m.

In 2022, I wrote up a review of her set for US Rocker Music, which you can read here.

Thursday, Dec 11th: Pu$$y-Cow at The Kibitz Room. Doors at 10 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight of Pu$$y-Cow's "Taco-Chariot" here.

Friday, Dec 12th: Harry Katz and the Pistachios at the Bigfoot Lodge. Doors at 8 p.m.

I recently wrote up a review of their Permanent Records Roadhouse set, which you can read here. 

Friday, Dec 12th: Julez and the Rollerz at Alex's Bar. Doors at 8 p.m.

Read my song spotlight for "Call Me Up" here.

Friday, Dec 12th: Pearl Charles at Zebulon. Doors at 7 p.m.

Read my song spotlight for "Step Too Far" here. 

Saturday, Dec 13th: Crisis Actor at The Redwood Bar. Set time at 10:20 p.m.

I recently wrote up a review of their Old Towne Pub set, which you can read here. 

Saturday, Dec 13th: Punk Crush and Teens in Trouble at Oblivion. Doors at 7 p.m.

Lead singer of Punk Crush is also in Suzie True. In 2024, I covered the Suzie True for US Rocker Music, which you can read here. 

In 2024, I covered the band for US Rocker Music when they played the No Earbuds Fest, which you can read which you can read here.

Song Spotlight: Meernaa's Framed In A Different State (a night at Zebulon)

Meernaa (the moniker for Carly Bond) opened up the night for Shannon Lay's final October residency night at Zebulon. Outside on the patio, the venue was prepped for Halloween. A giant skeleton loomed high above the crowd. This was a subject of conversation when someone in the audience asked a question about what Bond sees when she looks into someone's eyes, "And you'll see it too, flames. You go see that skeleton outside. Bag of bones. And there's flames." 

Meernaa at Zebulon

Review: a campy Christmas Eve story as told by girlish figure's Please Her For Pleasure

On occasion, I get pinged by bands that are new to me, giving me a heads up about an upcoming gig. This happened recently when girlish figure (moniker for Analise Nelson) sent me an Instagram IM mentioning that they were having a video release party for "Please Her For Pleasure" at The Goldfish. I was given a synopsis of the music video, "a heavily 80s inspired pop jam with a video that will tell a dark, but campy story about queer love and transformation. We follow a Nun (girlish figure) whose Christmas Eve mass gets turned upside down when a mysterious woman (Catherine McCafferty) inspires them to leave the church and the habit behind. They’re sneered at by the sexually repressed priest (Sam Pancake) and chased down by Animal Control, but what their attackers don’t know is that the gay club they’ve fled to is frequented by gay werewolves...and tonight is a full moon."

girlish figure at The Goldfish

Song Spotlight: Talk2Strangers' Fawn (a night at The Goldfish)

When online sets were the rage in 2020, I caught Talk2Strangers via Los Angeleno (from what I can tell, the website still posts articles on an intermittent basis). It was an artsy set in the vain of other Los Angeles notables like Bloody Death Skull and Jess Joy (since moved back to her home state of Louisiana). You can see that performance here. 

Talk2Strangers at The Goldfish

Song Spotlight: American Mile's Photograph Of You (a night at Hotel Ziggy)

I got introduced to American Mile by Sideways Media (Nicole Poulos) back in May. I've worked with Poulos for nearly a decade (give or take a year or two either way). She was asking if I could make their American Dream album release party in June, but that just wasn't going to work out for me (real life work issues). I did suggest doing a Q&A with the band for US Rocker Music. 

American Mile at Hotel Ziggy

Below is a response to one of the questions:

Question: Your sophomore album American Dream, just came out. How would you like the album to impact those who listen to it?

Answer" I would like the album to inspire people, make people groove and dance, give people hope and faith in life. I want the album to let people know, to never give up, to keep going. I also hope it inspires people to write more songs and pick up more instruments too.

American Mile at Hotel Ziggy

You can read the full Q&A here. 

Fast forward to August and Echo Park Rising. I noticed that they were playing with  The Doohickeys at The Den Studios. The venue was way too off the beaten path for me so I once against had to skip out on their live show. 

During my research of the band in June, I did learn that they play 200 shows a year so another opportunity was sure to pop up. Jumping a couple months to October, and I noticed that they were playing the WFNM showcase at Hotel Ziggy. I could make that one. The date was circled. 

American Mile at Hotel Ziggy

Was it worth the wait? Actually, I wish I had come across them far sooner in life. Their set was a blast. When people were hanging out in the hotel lobby to start off the set, guitarist Joe Perez left the stage and corralled people into the venue area. And if people weren't immediately convinced to leave the lobby area, they soon were via their Southern rock tunes. People were immediately inspired to dance. The band kept it entertaining and high energy throughout. A couple times lead singer Eugene Rice used a talk box, which gave their music a modulated sound.

Their final song of the night "Shake That Thing" is by far their most popular Spotify song. Drummer Colton Miller went Whiplash on the song. At one point, Perez, Rice, and bassist Dezmond Saunders all went out into the crowd. Perez stepped up on a round table. Saunders swung his bass in all directions. Rice slide-danced his way across the floor. "Stay Young," was the band's farewell advice to the audience. The response from one individual was, "That was insane."

American Mile at Hotel Ziggy

The song spotlight goes to "Photograph Of You." It comes off their American Dream album. It is a song about a couple breaking up and later realizing that they truly are in love with each other. 

Last twenty in the tank

Truck is set to cruise

I drive along with a photograph of you

Song Spotlight: TELAH!'s Winner (a night at The Goldfish)

I first came across Telah! when they played Echo Park Rising's Sunday after party (that's what I called it) at Sticky Rice in 2024. I don't believe I was there for all the bands that performed that Sunday, but they were the first band playing when I arrived. Their world music tunes stuck with me. This past October 2025, I got to catch up with them once again at The Goldfish (the sister location for Sticky Rice). Based on scanning their Instagram, I believe this was also their first set since Echo Park Rising. Though this was only the second time I've ever seen a set, this band has always remained top of mind. This is, admittedly, partially driven by the fact that I cross paths with their leader Dani who works at The Goldfish and also worked Echo Park Rising 2025 at the Sticky Rice stage. 

TELAH! at The Goldfish

Song Spotlight: Maryjo's Don't Call Me (a night at Hotel Ziggy)

Maryjo brought her stunning vocals back to the WFNM showcase at Hotel Ziggy -- she said that this October set was her 6th time at the venue. She mentioned to the audience before her performance that she was going to be singing her saddest songs. There was more than just singing. There was much laugher, because there were some off the cuff sexual entendre one liners (as well as some more direct ones) -- she did threaten to hunt down people if they posted the comments online, but I'll take the chance as they were amusing. 

Maryjo at Hotel Ziggy

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts (Los Angeles): Nov 30th - Dec 6th

A Handful of Show Alerts 

Sunday, Nov 30th: Soft Palms and UGHH at The Lyric Hyperion. Doors at 8 p.m.

You can read my Soft Palms song spotlight for "Rainbows" here.

You can read my UGHH review at Happy Sundays Fest here. 

Sunday, Nov 30th: The What Four at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 6 p.m.

I recently wrote a review of their set at Frogtown Brewery, which you can read here.

Monday, Dec 1st: Brenda Carsey at Hotel Cafe. Doors at 8 p.m.

In 2018, I covered her at Echo Park Rising for Buzzbands, you can see a photo of the set here.

Wednesday, Dec 3rd: Alice Sandahl at Gold-Diggers. Doors at 7 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for "Walk It Off" here. 

Wednesday, Dec 3rd: Baba Jenkins at Hotel Ziggy. Doors at 7 p.m.
You can read my song spotlight for "Wild" here.

Wednesday, Dec 3rd: Devon Thompson at El Cid. Doors at 7 p.m.

Got introduced to Devon Thompson via The Smell.

Wednesday, Dec 3rd: Rachel Goodrich at Healing Force Records. Doors at 8 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for "Why Do We Fall in Love?" here. 

Thursday, Dec 4th: Pegzilla at The Goldfish. Doors at 8 p.m.

You can read my song spotlight for "Giver" here.

Friday, Dec 5th: Cosmic Kitten and Mike Watt at the Redwood Bar. Doors at 8 p.m.

You can read my Cosmic Kitten spotlight for "Hole in my Soul"  here. 

In 2024, I covered Mike Watt for US Rocker Music when he played Happy Sundays Long Beach, which you can read here. 

Saturday, Dec 6th: Crisis Actor and Jagged Baptist Club at Permanent Records Roadhouse. Doors at 9 p.m.

I recently wrote a Crisis Actor review of their Old Towne Pub set, which you can read here. 

You can read my Jagged Baptist Club song spotlight for "Temptation Death House" here. 

Photo Reviews: The Dandy Warhols (a night at The Bellwether)

A few weeks back, I got to shoot The Dandy Warhols at The Bellwether for US Rocker Music. You can read the article here. 

I figured I'd discuss a couple photos that I took. I'm happy with the shots. I got to the venue perhaps 15 minutes later than I anticipated due to the fact that I accidentally walked pass the side street that I needed to turn on and so I had to loop back. When I finally got inside the venue, there were really no good places to stand next to the stage. Would there have been if I got there 15 minutes earlier? Who knows. The venue recently took out their photo pit area that was in front of the stage. I'm not saying that if I had found a spot next to the stage that I would have stayed there the whole night. I'm just saying I didn't get a chance to shoot right up front.