Har Mar Superstar @ The Fonda Theatre

Har Mar Superstar opened for Afghan Whigs last Friday at, what I still think of as, The Henry Fonda.  For me, Har Mar was the main act.  He knew how to curate his setlist for the audience (mostly AW fans.  I kind of hope they're called Whigs).  His set was more toned down compared to  last year when I saw him at The Echoplex where he headlined.  That time, he played fan favorites, told stories, crowd surfed, danced to his heart's content, and even had Macaulay Culkin dancing on stage!  This time, he leaned more heavily on his more recent albums Best Summer Ever and Bye Bye 17, which showcased his amazing voice.  He started the night with the moody title track off his new EP Personal Boy and later debuted a new song, which sounded impressively polished even though he came up with it only a few days earlier.  His set ended all too quickly with him belting out Lady You Shot Me, but he definitely gained some new fans as I overheard people praising his vocals.

He's got a few more tour dates with Afghan Whigs this month.

• Oct 21 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre
• Oct 22 - Kansas City, MO - Record Bar
• Oct 24 - Austin, TX - Moahawk
• Oct 25 - Dallas, TX - Trees
• Oct 26 - Houston, TX - Heights Theater
• Oct 27 - Witchita, KS - Barleycorn (headlining)

More Photos:

• Buzzbands.la

Sunstock Solar Festival @ the Autry

Best things from this year's inaugural Sunstock Solar Festival:

1. The chill vibe and crowd. 
2. The amazing job Zero Waste Company did with keeping the Autry's grounds trash free
3. Not Your Father's Root Beer's genius idea to get people to buy their alcoholic root beer:  buy a can at the fest and bring it to their stall to get free swag.
4. Pacific Sky Solar's cute mascot, Loic.

5. The Big Pink's great live performance, although sometimes a bit heavy on the fog machine.

6. Discovering Allah-Las' psychedelic rock.  I felt like I was being transported to a summer day in the '60s with all their catchy tunes. 
7. Kaki King's amazing set that was part light show, part live acoustic show.

8. I never associated Wavves with Thee Oh Sees and Cloud Nothings, but they proved me wrong; they were punk rawk AF.  My friend described it best when she said "I love how they're playing like they're at The Smell!"   

9. The fun nighttime installations.  

10. The impressive solar panels that powered the stage.  Even though performances started running late, the lights never wavered.  
 

More:

• Photos
• Review - Grimy Goods

Indie Across America Web Series

I've always been a fan of former MTV VJ Dave Holmes, who is an encyclopedia of music knowledge.  Now he's back in a new web series Indie Across America, obviously sponsored by GEICO (lizard looks much bigger in real life), that just premiered last Tuesday.  Holmes travels across the country to hang out with indie bands and showcase their music. 

You can watch episode 1 of Indie Across America featuring indie band Stereo Crowd at Blip.com.  New episodes (along with music videos) will be released every Tuesday until November 12th.

Future episodes:

• Episode 2: Baltimore featuring Sharkweek
• Episode 3: Los Angeles featuring A House for Lions
• Episode 4: Philadelphia featuring Norwegian Arms
• Episode 5: New York city featuring La La Lush
• Episode 6: San Diego featuring SanDollar
• Episode 7: Boston featuring Quilt
• Episode 8: Los Angeles featuring Dreamers Dose

EMP Museum @ Seattle, WA

Andy is not impressed by the architecture

EMP (formerly known as Experience Music Project) Museum, designed by Frank Gehry (it's supposed to resemble the vibrancy of music, but to me it looks like the Disney Concert Hall threw up on it), is what the Grammy Museum would like to grow up to be.  It features an amazing stage for concerts and impressive, interactive displays on music and pop culture.

If I lived in Seattle, I would definitely become a member of this museum.  Hell, I'd probably even volunteer there.  Hm, looking for job openings...

Favorite Exhibits:

• Can't Look Away:  The Lure of Horror Film
  
• Scream Booth



HC, Fiona, Sin, Andy's tongue

• Philip Worthington's interactive shadow monster installation.  Monster parts grew and changed with our movements.  

  

  Me on the right

• Old movie posters
• Movie and TV props  



Rubert Giles' spell book in Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Photo via EMP

• Commentaries on Michael Jackson's Thriller and Evil Dead 2 (one of my fave scary movies).  Learned that Evil Dead 2 was one of the most successful horror sequels, which I found amusing because it's pretty much a remake of the first Evil Dead (commentary even admitted this right when I was thinking it!) 
• Icons of Science Fiction
• Putting on costumes to pose in the compositing special effects installation
• So, this is how much of a nerd I am.  The Dalek (major recurring enemies in Doctor Who) was the first thing I rushed over to see.  I got super excited about it, and naturally no one knew what I was talking about. Looked much less threatening in person.
  

  

  Dalek from 1988 ep of Remembrance of the Daleks. Photo via EMP

• Command Chair from Star Trek:  The Original Series
• Neo's coat from The Matrix.  Didn't realize how tall Keanu Reeves is.  He's like a foot taller than I am!
• Rifle from Men in Black
• Superman suit.  So much spandex...
• Concept sketches of Darth Vader's helmet
  
• Displays of science fiction books that actually got me curious to read them.  Putting The Forever War on my To Read List. 
• Nirvana:  Taking Punk to the Masses



Kurt Cobain during soundcheck 1992

• An abundance of information on Nirvana and the Washington music scene.  
• Personal photos, handwritten lyrics and letters, demo tapes, album covers gave insight into Nirvana.  There were remnants of a guitar smashed by Kurt Cobain that were reunited for the first time in years that gave me chills.  
• Had no idea Death Cab for Cutie was from Bellingham, WA.  We were there the day before! 
• The listening stations allowed me to check out bands I had always heard about.  And even though I'm behind the times, I think I could get into The Posies and The Young Fresh Fellows.
• Guitar Gallery:  The Quest for Volume
• Is a must for anyone who plays or loves guitars 
  
• Jimi Hendrix:  An Evolution of Sound
• Had no idea he used to play with Little Richard
• The Rolling Stones
• Because of my age, I've only ever known them as old, wrinkly rockers.  It's hard to remember they were actually young and attractive once.  

  

  Keith Richards before he was an old pirate

• Sound Lab
• Where I listened to Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) over and over again and learned how to mix 

“Somebody” Music Video - Jukebox the Ghost

Love the flash mob-iness of the video.  Great, catchy tune from Jukebox the Ghost.

Favorite Line:
"I don't want any heartbreak. I'm tired of the sound it makes"

Mixtape 2.0: Ni Hao Hawaii

These are the songs we heard every day on Oahu's top 40 island station Island 98.5.  I have to say, island music is instantly relaxing.  This mix always puts me in a good mood. 

Ni Hao Hawaii Mix

1. I Feel So Good - Collie Buddz
2. It Will Rain (reggae remix) - Bruno Mars 
   So he usually sounds like he's crying when he's singing, and the chorus sounds like Adele's Chasing Pavements, but for some reason I never get tired of this remix.  He should really put out a reggae remix of his greatest hits.  I would buy that. 
3. Wade in Your Water - Common Kings
   Love the shoutouts to landmarks in Oahu.
4. Pumped Up Kicks (cover) - Cris Cab
   Just when I thought this song was overplayed, Cab put a twist on it and I actually like this version better.  I wish he would release an album of cover songs.  
5. Not Too Fast - Teki
   He's the island John Legend
6. Set Fire to the Rain (reggae version) - Adele
7. Give it Up - CRSB
8. Gotta Be - The Green
9. Get to Know You - Teki
   I love his silky voice so much I sprinkled the mix with his songs
10. Higher than the Clouds - Anuhea
11. Young Wild Free (reggae remix) - Inner Circle ft. I-Octane Bizerk
12. Somebody that I Used to Know (Jr Blender reggae remix) - Gotye
    WAY better than the original
13. All - Teki
14. Falling - Iration
15. All of the Lights (cover) - Cris Cab
16. You Da One - Rihanna
17. Waiting for You - Teki 

Food Pairing:
Soundbites 14.0: Oahu, Hawaii

Mixtape 1.0: New City New Adventure

My friend recently decided to up and go to Vancouver, Canada to start a new job and a new life. He said he would spend his first weekend exploring as much of the city as possible, so I made him a mix of songs for getting ready to go out or just wandering around deep in thought.

New City New Adventure Mix

1. Ready for the Floor - Hot Chip
2. Walking on a Dream - Empire of the Sun
3. Burning - The Whitest Boy Alive
4. Song for Sunshine - Belle & Sebastian
5. We are Young (ft. Janelle Monae) - Fun.
6. The Night Starts Here - Stars
7. Air and Kilometers - Kaki King
8. Colourful Life - Cajun Dance Party
9. The Way We Get By - Spoon
10. L.E.S. Artistes - Santogold
11. You Only Live Once - The Strokes
12. While We Go Dancing - White Rabbits
13. Coast of Carolina - Telekinesis
14. After Hours - We are Scientists

Of Montreal Covers The White Stripes

Of Montreal covered The White Stripes' Fell in Love with a Girl.  It's not a bad cover, but I thought they would somehow have a more Of Montreal sound to it, like you could tell it's them singing.  Instead it just sounds like the song, but with screechy vocals.

High Note - Glee's "Prom Queen" Ep: I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You

Lately, I don't understand the song choices for Glee.  They either choose really overplayed songs or they don't even seem to make an effort to cover them in a different way.  I can't believe they contributed to Rebecca Black's undeserved wealth by covering Friday...badly (although Art can do no wrong).  I guess it makes sense that it would get played at a prom because it's so bad it's funny and so many people already know the lyrics, but I didn't think I'd have to experience it on TV. 

I was a little worried about hearing another Adele song on Glee because of Gwyneth Paltrow's paltry version (lyrics fit the scene, but there's no way she could ever have a strong enough voice to sing one of Adele's songs.  That was the first time I was really disappointed by one of her covers), but Jesse and Rachel had the chops to carry it.  I'm just not a huge fan of the church choir version.  They didn't even really try to put a new spin on it besides turning it into a duet. 

Black Kids + unbelievably catchy dance song + Blaine (I love how The Warblers cover songs in a barbershop quartet kind of way) = high note of ep.

David Chang Likes to Play Pavement, AC/DC, The Kinks @ Momofuku

I'm digging this new feature, Desert Island Discs, that Food is the New Rock is starting, where they ask chefs about their favorite music.  Food is the New Rock is quickly becoming one of my favorite blogs to read and the name is genius.  It's so simple it makes me feel stupid for not thinking of it first.  I've always wondered how to best blend food and music into one blog and they have done it perfectly.

Favorite questions from the post: 

• First love? Food or Music… 
• DC: Food. Eating blue crabs at the Chesapeake Bay when I was 5 years old.
• Musician you’d most like to cook for (alive or dead) and what would you serve them?
• DC: Fat Elvis. Samoa Girl Scout Cookies.
• 5 Albums on Your Desert Island iPod?
• Luna “Penthouse”
• Pavement “Wowee Zowee”
• Bob Dylan “Nashville Skyline”
• GZA “Liquid Swords”
• Pixies “Doolittle”

Read the rest here.  

Violet Sedan Chair on Fringe's "The Firefly" Ep

Photo via BuddyTV

This is a comment from Wing, who is a bigger fan of Fringe than I am:

In the latest Fringe ep, Christopher Lloyd guest-starred as the ex-keyboardist of a once popular psychedelic rock band "Violet Sedan Chair" that Walter is a big fan of. Guess what? J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot crew actually made a real album for this fake band! You can stream it here:
http://soundcloud.com/letitplayout/sets/violet-sedan-chair-seven-suns-lp-side-2/

This show...I have no words!

This was such a great episode.  I loved the romantic struggle between Olivia and Peter, the Tessla mention, Walter acting like a giddy fanboy, the twist at the end about consequences / the butterfly effect, and the use of Lloyd in a time traveling theme.

And the music is actually pretty good! 

The band "Violet Sedan Chair" is a fictional band, but one that J.J. Abrams had named-dropped two years earlier in an issue of Wired for which he had guest-edited, alluding to the band's album, Seven Suns, recorded in the 1970's.  Prior to the broadcast of "The Firefly", a number of vinyl records of Seven Suns were shipped to a select number of independent record stores across the United States, which have been discovered by some people.  The album does contain twelve songs in the style of psychedelic and folk. The album itself has been briefly shown in the series. (Wikipedia)

Coachella 2011 Lineup Announced

And The Scenestar had it first...from what I saw on Twitter anyways.  Announced it even before Coachella's Twitter did.  Awesome!

Ugh, Kings of Leon is still a headliner.  I heard about this a few months ago, but I kept praying that they would try to cancel before the poster was made.  Bleh.  Anyways, the other bands look pretty good.  Too bad Daft Punk isn't on there, but I still excite.  Let the listmaking begin!  Here are my preliminary choices (after I make my top choices, I usually try to listen to the other bands - tedious, I know - to discover some new music):

Top Picks:

• !!! 
• Arcade Fire 
• Cee Lo Green - been listening to a lot of his Lady Killer album lately
  
• Bright Eyes 
• Cold War Kids
• Cut Copy
• Empire of the Sun - they put on a fantastic show
• Jimmy Eat World
• Kanye West
• Ratatat
• The Black Keys
• The Morning Benders
• The National
• The New Pornographers
• The Presets - hell yes!
• The Strokes
• Two Door Cinema Club
• Yelle

Maybes:

• Best Coast  - guess I should find out why people like them so much
• Brandon Flowers - this is a maybe.  I saw one of his videos, still not convinced that he's any good
• Broken Social Scene
• Crystal Castles 
• CSS 
• Elbow  - Grounds for Divorce is pretty much their only good song, but I haven't seen them in awhile
• Erykah Badu
• Flogging Molly
• Interpol - I know all their music sounds the same, but I should probably listen to their new stuff
• Jack’s Mannequin - for old time's sake  
• Klaxons
• Ms. Lauryn Hill
• Ozomatli 
• Paul van Dyk 
• PJ Harvey 
• Robyn 
• Scissor Sisters 
• She Wants Revenge 
• The Aquabats 
• The Chemical Brothers
• The Kills 
• The Pains of Being Pure at Heart 
• The Swell Season - probably during some down time.  They are really mellow

Thanks for the alphabetized lineup and larger image, Stereogum!


More:
Ticket info at The Scenestar

High Note - Glee's "Special Education" Ep: Valerie

Loved all the dancing in Santana's number and she has a great voice. It never fails to impress.

My Picks from Stereogum’s 50 Most Anticipated Albums Of 2011

Photo via The Village Voice

Ok, I know Cake isn't even on the top 50 list, but I'm really excited because they haven't released a new album in 7 years!  

Here are the other bands off Stereogum's list that excite me:  

• 02 Fiona Apple – TBA

• 09 Cut Copy – Zonoscope (2/08 via Modular)

• 10 Death Cab For Cutie – TBA (via Atlantic)

• 13 Dr. Dre – Detox (February via Aftermath/Interscope)

• 15 Foo Fighters – TBA

• 18 Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean (1/25 via Warner Bros.)

• 21 Lady Gaga – Born This Way (Interscope) - I've been a fan ever since I heard Bad Romance at a gay birthday party (really, all the guys were gay and knew all the lyrics to her song.  To this day, I have never seen so many well-dressed, attractive men all in one room) and on Glee.

• 22 Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes (3/1 via LL Recordings)

• 35 Radiohead – TBA (via Teh Internetz)

• 37 The Rome (Danger Mouse & Daniele Lupi) – The Rome

• 38 Santigold – TBA - great first album.  Can't wait to hear more from her

• 39 The Shins – TBA

• 43 The Strokes – TBA - I'm hoping they incorporate some of Julian Casablancas' sound

• 48 Kanye West & Jay-Z – Watch The Throne (via Def Jam)

HONORABLE MENTIONS & SPECULATIONS:

• Akron/Family – S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT (2/8 via Dead Oceans)
• Beck – TBA
• Cake – Showroom Of Compassion (1/11 via Upbeat)
• The Get Up Kids – There Are Rules (via Quality Hill Records)
• Gorillaz – TBA
• Jane’s Addiction – TBA

Danny Elfman & Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box Limited Edition Set

Photo via Slashfilm

What?!   

Warner Bros has announced the release of the Danny Elfman & Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box, a limited edition set which celebrates 25 years of creative collaboration between the duo. The box set features more than 19 hours of music, including fan-requested expansions of 13 film scores (in CD cases featuring artwork created by Burton), plus seven hours of previously unreleased music, a Tim Burton-designed USB skeleton Flash Drive containing MP3s of the whole collection, and a bonus DVD featuring an exclusive conversation between Elfman and Burton. -via Slashfilm

I want this so badly, but why does it have to cost $500?!  Christmas gift?  Anyone?  Please?

Blogger Prom 2010

Yamashiro

I had heard of Yamashiro before, but I had no idea that it was hidden away on a hill just past The Magic Castle.  I've been to The Magic Castle and didn't even realize the restaurant was right above it. Yamashiro was such a beautiful venue, I just don't know how the Blogger Prom Committee's going to top that next year.  Can you believe the view from the entrance? 

The landscape was just gorgeous:  perfectly full moon, no fog, dazzling lights.  This was a rare moment in my life as a Los Angelean where I actually thought my city was beautiful.  I was captivated by the view every time I stepped outside or glanced out one of Yamashiro's broad windows. 

As I filed into check-in area with other glamorously dressed bloggers, I felt like I was taken out of Hollywood and dropped into an ancient Japanese palace.



I still can't believe a place like this has been resting above Hollywood this entire time.  I must go back and check out the Farmer's Market before it ends in October. 


Drinks

I was surprised that we all only used one of the three drink tickets (the line got a bit long, but that's understandable since there was only one bar compared to having two at last year's Blogger Prom), but I definitely didn't feel like I needed the other two tickets thanks to The Dalmore, The Beer Chicks, and the after party at Test Kitchen.

• The Dalmore 15 - nice, spicy start to the evening 
• Eagle Rock Brewery IPA - recommended by The Beer Chicks to go along with Chef Brock's tacos   
• Pinky Confidential signature drink by The Liquid Muse - Jennio found this sweet and tasty
• Zaya Gran Reserve Rum and Coke

 Appetizer

• Hukilau Poke Ahi, teardrop tomato, macadamia nuts, soy-sesame marinade on a wonton crisp
• Charred Albacore with serrano chilis, blackened shallots, cilantro, tomatill-ponzu salsa on a tortilla chip - our favorite.  My companions had several 
• Hoisin-Braised Kurobuta Pork with scallion risotto and honey-mustard sauce - I enjoyed the pork but not the risotto, my +1 doesn't really eat pork but liked the risotto.  This just couldn't win with us
• Asian Baby Back Ribs with house-made BBQ sauce - I was surprised that this was served as finger food.  Seemed a bit messy, but Jennio and her date enjoyed them   

Food

• Miso-Sake Black Cod taco - wish we had gotten in line for the tacos right away because the table got popular real quick
• Kleweno Farm's Smoked Sausage with Maple-Black Pepper Aioli taco
• Coolhaus Ice Cream Sandwiches - we absolutely loved their ice cream sandwiches.  I had the green tea ice cream between two chocolate cookies.  Their table looked great, like an old-fashioned candy store 
• ChocolateBox Cafe Chocolates
• Crumbs Cupcakes - I can't resist eating something that looks like a mini Hostess Cupcake   

Music

I noticed the live band was missing.  Turned out Dirty Martinis Jazz unreliably canceled a week before Blogger Prom.  Seems pretty unprofessional to bail so last minute and missed out on a lot of free publicity with all the tweeting going on all night.  Luckily, DJ Steve kept the party going with a variety of jazz music. 


Goody Bags

There's so much good stuff in there.  My goal is to try to make a day of it and use as many coupons and gift certificates as possible. 

Photo by COFG

I'm excited about:

• Disney Tote - I <3 Disney!  The tote's the perfect size for carrying a book and a lunch to the park
• Free Admission to The GRAMMY Museum - which I've always wanted to check out
• Free Pass to The American Cinematheque
• $5 Gift Card from Pinkberry
• $10 Dining Certificate for Border Grill Truck - they serve awesome churros! 
• Drink Coupon with Purchase of Meal at Hugo's - free drink with food that I already enjoy? YES!
• Free Cupcake from Sprinkles - must redeem ASAP since it's expiring very soon
• CostPlus World Market Chocolate Bar - mmmmmm, chocolate!

Congrats to the Blogger Prom King and Queen, Food Marathon and JozJozJoz (photographed on left)!

Photo by Heather Kincaid

And thanks to 1933 Group for the drink token winnings!  I have my eye on some drinks at Thirsty Crow.

Tom, Jennio, Winn

More:
Heather Kincaid's (great idea to have a photo booth and photographer there.  Hope Blogger Prom has her again next year) Blog and Photo Gallery
BrandX
Sure Beats Work
LA Times / Image
kevinEats
Naked City

Dirty Martinis Jazz to Play @ Blogger Prom

Photo from Dirty Martinis Jazz

Jazz trio Dirty Martinis Jazz will be providing live music for Blogger Prom along with guest singer, Christiana Moffa.

Good Music + Good Food = Good Idea

Photo from last.fm

 It's a great idea to pair She & Him (a band that appeals to the musical tastes of any age) with great food from the likes of Ludo Lefebvre, Mark Peel, and others for Los Angeles Times' Celebration of Food & Wine on Sept. 5. 

And what?  Lollapalooza tapped Chicago chef Graham Elliot Bowles to curate the festival's food options (Pop & Hiss).  I wish more festivals would do that because it's pretty common to expect overpriced crappy food at music festivals.  If we're going to pay so much money to go to these festivals, we might as well be served good food.

The Idyllists - Les Singles EP

Photo via The Idyllists

FREE album download here!

More:
Review of Les Singles

The Crushing Low

source

I was contacted by The Crushing Low to review their recently released debut EP, All Orbits are Free. This is a description of their style of music taken from the band's bio:

"Combining decades of influences from both sides of the Atlantic, The Crushing Low has created their own unique brand of sonic bombast. Holding the band's DNA under the microscope reveals strands of Interpol, My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, Catherine Wheel, Swervedriver, U2, Drive, Doves, Sonic Youth, and Radiohead chaining together with a variety of more far flung influences to form a sound that is at once familiar and distinctly their own."

There are many great influences listed in the above blurb and I can hear some of them in their songs. The vocals do remind me of a bit of My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth, which honestly, I'm not a huge fan of; however, I think fans of those bands will appreciate this band because they stay true to that singing style. In that case, the music stands out more than the vocals, which can be pretty catchy. I do like that not all the songs sound exactly the same. Some of the standout tracks are Skies Divided and Dead Man's Hands.

More about the band:
http://www.myspace.com/thecrushinglow
http://www.reverbnation.com/thecrushinglow
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Crushing-Low/25442325288
http://www.thecrushinglow.com
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=TheCrushingLowBand&view=videos