MTV premiered this wicked ghostly video from Childish Gambino. Other rappers should be scared of his forthcoming release on Glassnote, because it is probably going to be spooky spectacular. Anyhow, he drops this - and we share it for your Halloween enjoyment.
If you're in L.A. and want to ensure a Happy Halloween, come out to Bootleg Theaterfor Mind The Gap's last residency show of the month, with Weapons of Audio and indie rock cover band - Black Crystal Wolf Kids. It should also be wicked (in a good way) - and its FREE. Plus, I'm gonna give away some candy there - so it will be sweet too!
Whether an avid fan or a lucky first timer, those who attended this year’s Bridge School Benefit at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountainview, CA, are sure to make it a ritual event. Marking the 25th anniversary this year, Neil Young’s all-acoustic Benefit show was comprised of an all-star lineup: Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Arcade Fire, Foo Fighters, Eddie Vedder, Carlos Santana with Los Invisibles, Beck, Mumford & Sons, Tony Bennett, Devendra Banhart and Norah Jones with The Little Willies.To call it “mind-blowing” is truly an understatement, it was EPIC. For less than $50 you were able to sit on a grassy lawn, open up your picnic basket, sip on your beer, chat with the giddy person sitting next you and watch legendary artists jam with some of the greatest bands of our time; a music lover’s dream come true.
Inspired by their son Ben, Pegi and Neil Young started the Benefit show in 1986 to raise money for their non-profit organization, The Bridge School, whose mission has been to help individuals with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full participation in their communities. Since their first lineup, which included heavy-hitters such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Nils Lofgren, Don Henley, Tom Petty, Robin Williams, and Bruce Springsteen, nothing has changed but a few new artists each year that are eager to share in this elite experience.
But this year was like no other. Not only did our hearts stop when reading the names on the program, but this phenomenal group of artists gave some of their most memorable performances of recent years, creating an exceptionally emotional and surreal experience for the audience.
Beck took us back to his decade old Album Sea Change, reuniting with the same band that helped him produce the album. Playing hits like “Where it’s at” and “Lost cause”, the acoustic rendition allowed Beck’s distinct and strong voice to shine through, amidst his normal heavy- synthesized production. Harmonizing kings Mumford and Sons followed, playing songs from their insanely popular “Sigh No More” which seems to have been ingrained in everyone’s minds as the sold-out audience sang along to every single song. Merengue ensued as Santana and Los Invisibles took the stage and Bridge School regular, Eddie Vedder, melted hearts with his sultry voice and engrossing presence. The Foo Fighters did not hold back, killing it with a grandiose performance. Like most of the acts, the Foo’s Dave Grohl took a moment to honor Neil Young and personally thanked him for showing musicians that it is possible to be both a rock star and a family man.
And then there was Tony Bennett. At 85, this man’s age has had no effect on his legendary voice. He moved around the stage and belted out classics such as “I got Rhythm” and, the very appropriate, “I left my heart in San Francisco”, leaving everyone cheering for an encore. Bringing another great partnership back to the stage, Dave Mathews and Tim Reynolds played some of our favorites, including “All Along the Watchtower” which was taken to a whole new level of music with the help of Mumford & Sons’ lead singer, Marcus Mumford. Arcade Fire headlined with an amazing set that was no less extravagant with the limitations of pure acoustics. This humble band blew everyone away, proving that some bands sound that much better live. And to end this musical ride, like every year before, was the legendary Neil Young. Having performed throughout the show with most of the acts, Neil took us back with his original classics, even performing a few with his wife Pegi.
Bridge School’s splendor is not only in the impressive group of artists that come to perform, which only a legend like Neil Young could muster, but the motivation behind it all. No matter the year attended, everyone leaves feeling happier and better having been a part of the love that Neil Young brings to the children of Bridge School. As “corny” as it sounds, once you attend the Benefit you’ll have reason to look forward to it year after year.
If you're looking for a way to wind down your first night of Halloween weekend - whether you went to HARD Haunted Mansion, Expansion LA or some other throw down - consider Freaky As Fuck - kicking off in Echo Park at 10 pm and going until the sun comes up or you can't dance anymore....whichever comes later.
The DJs throwing down are wedontspeakfrench, ChrisB, Joe Bot (live bass), Billy Blacklight, The Black 22s, Scuzzy, Diva Danielle, NICOLuminous and possibly some other people you probably have never heard of.
It goes down in the old smog lofts in Echo Park at Glendale and Beverly. 122 Glendale. Its $10 to get in, but if you say SUPERGOOD or WAPA at the door - it will only be $5. Its a cash only bar and a cash only door...and apparently some grub and candy available all night to keep your fuel going.
Black Keys dropped a little taste of their forthcoming record, "Lonely Boy." This low budget video is awesome mainly because the guy is killing it with the dance moves and the lip synching. Wonder if there is a Lonely Boy dance tutorial - because I want to learn it.
I also want to know where that office is? And who pokes their head in the window for a hot second?
Enjoy Black Keys latest....over and over and over.
Tonight begins a series of Halloween inspired concerts that are not likely to stop until some time late at night on Monday, when the holiday actually occurs.
Addicted to Shows is getting things started early with their Haunted Hollywood event featuring rising indie synth act Tic Tic BooM! and their friends Robotanists. Joining the haunted hump day spectacular are two well spoken (or written) local DJs, L.A. Weekly's Drew Fortune AKA DJ Tanner and Buzzbands.LA's Seraphina L, as well as Steve Livigni. Below is an acoustic version of Tic Tic Boom's latest single "Bees" and a video for The Robotanists "On/Off The Ledge."
LA's tasty (and sometimes spicy) Nacho Truck is joining the fun with some limited edition Tic Tic Boom! Nachos that come with a free download card of tunes. Anthony Greco is bringing scary beverage mixing skills too.
It all goes down at Harvard & Stone at 5221 Hollywood Blvd. beginning at 8 pm tonight.
If you like risque and down right weird music videos - you may have already heard about Duck Sauce's latest "Big Bad Wolf." The piece is clearly designed to make a statement about sexuality as well as show A-Trak pissing out of his mouth.
If you don't believe me - watch for yourself. If you've got your kids around - you may want them to wear a blindfold...
Already getting amped for Electric Forest Festival in 2012 - because last year it was definitely one of the coolest festivals I attended. No line-up clues - but the dates for the Madison House and Insomniac curated event will be June 28th - July 1st, 2012.
Peep their cool trailer, which has excellent music, below:
Craving some grade A music? Then keep your Sunday open, in case you haven’t already, and get yourself over to the Gibson Amphitheatre for LA Weekly’s, LA 101. This savory night features some of your favorite artists: Headliners, The Airborne Toxic Event along with Tokyo Police club, Built to Spill, Delta Spirit, Electric Guest, JENNY O, and The Drowning Men.
Instead of spending Sunday thinking about Monday, kick back, relax and treat yourself to LA 101. The show officially begins at 7:15pm but don’t wait ‘till then to get there; Festival grounds open at 3pm for a multitude of live music, art, vendors, and some of LA’s finest food trucks. And just to help a couple of you dodge the possibility of this year’s show following in the same sold-out pattern as 2010’s crowd of 6,200, SUPERGOOD MUSIC will be giving away a pair of tickets…
Come rock with us and friends at our Friday night showcase at CMJ. We'll be featuring SUPERGOOD family Weapons of Audio and Kosha Dillz, as well as hip-hop veterans Rahzel and Jarobi from A Tribe Called Quest. Headlining the night are buzzing indie-blues rock act The Stone Foxes, who are also playing SUPERDOPE on November 16th, as well as Soul Khan and Shinobi Ninja (who just played The Roxy last week).
Come see what will be the fresh sound in 2012 while its still 2011. Come to Dominion on Friday night.
428 Lafayette. Admission is free with a CMJ Badge or with RSVP here. Otherwise, its $5
Two weekends ago, Los Angeles was treated to the 2nd annual Culture Collide festival, a 4-day event in Los Angeles presented by Filter Magazine.Multiple venues including Echoplex, Taix, The Echo, ReFORM, and a couple outdoor stages featured over 80 acts from 24 countries…
We sent a handful of writers and winners of our Miracle Package - which included free admission and drinks with our founder, Brandon Dorsky. Dorsky unfortunately was rear ended on I-10, but that didn't stop the show or our obligation to provide coverage. Some highlights from the entertainment rich weekend included:
On Saturday, Classixx, DJ Harvey, and CSS performed and wow did they impress. Classixx is an electronic duo from Los Angeles. Absolute beasts on stage, they likely have a very bright (or at least danceable) future ahead of them. Their laid back and unique style make for a great atmosphere to get your groove on.The two remix a lot of great tracks adding in some of their original compositions.Check out
"Into the Valley" (featuring Karl Dixon) [Download]
DJ Harvey from Cambridge, England is an influential force in the worldwide community. He is old school electronica, but in a good way. He has an affinity for long sets peppered with crafty original tracks and long jams generating relatively chill atmosphere.
CSS formerly known as Cansei de Ser Sexy is a rock band from Sao Paulo, Brazil. They headlined and absolutely killed their set. In a packed EchoPlex venue on Saturday, they crushed the dance floor with their energy and again on Sunday as the title act of the Toyota Antic block part. Their upbeat alternative rock/pop sound with obvious Brazilian flavor creates surprisingly fun and palatable tracks that have brought them success worldwide. Some favorite tracks by them are below.
"Lets Make Love and Listen to Death From Above" [Download]
Danish pop band The Asteroids Galaxy Tour also impressed. They have a retro pop sound featuring interesting vocals from lead singer Mette Lindberg. Their soul is stripped down to permit more modern elements to shine through, but at the end of the day they feel like a indie-pop-soul act. Two worthwhile songs are "Major" and "Around The Bend".
Datarock were also one of our top acts on Sunday, along with The Asteroids Galaxy Tour. Norway's Datarock indie electro-pop sound just makes you want to dance, which is what they got most of the crowd doing. Their infectious sound and playful on-stage persona Datarock (all the members of the band wearing flashing red blazers/jumpsuits) only fueled the ensuing dance party to rage harder . We liked almost every song we heard from them but three favorites were "Catcher In The Rye", "California" and "Fa-Fa-Fa".
The best word to describe Culture Collide Festival is diverse. Not only were the above mentioned artists great, but with artists from 24 different countries, the range of sounds and influences was on display each night. We can only thank Filter Magazine for a job well done and look forward to the next culturally informative experience curated by them.
Last night at The House of blues on Sunset Strip, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe kicked off their Sticky Fingers tour that celebrates not just the record, but 50 years of the Stones in general.Joining KDTU is Slightly Stoopid’s own Kyle McDonald and Miles Doughty as well as Anders Osborne.This 17 date tour swings down to San Diego, then back up the California coast, hops through the Midwest, and makes one stop on the East Coast.
With The Rolling Stones 50th anniversary coming up, the choice to perform the classic Sticky album from beginning to end is a wise one. To add to the excitement, on Halloween KDTU and crew will be joined by Rose Hill Drive at The Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, CO.Rose Hill have chosen to perform a different classic rock album and attendees will get to hear The Who’s Who’s Next played from beginning to end on top of the Sticky Fingers performance. We're officially jealous of people who will be there.
If you still haven’t scored tickets to this tour you can go here and locate which venue is closest to you.Limited to this tour - Denson has released three new shirts and two limited edition posters.
Whether you're week has been great or is in desperate need of a turn-around, Family of the Year is sure to make it a hell of a lot better with their EP release show this Thursday at Silverlake's Bootleg Bar. This folk-pop band will send you through the clouds and back to 1969 with their infectious sounds that even Steven Tyler describes as "the Mamas and the Papas on acid." Call it whatever you want, but its bands like Family of the Year that find music lovers lost for words. But then again, when it sounds this good - do you really need to explain it?
Rather than try and tackle that task ourselves - we caught up with Sebastian Keefe of the band on the eve of their release event(s) to learn a bit more about their sound and where it developed from.
SUPERGOOD: Your first album seemed to capture a different genre in each song, (elements of synth-rock, reggae, pop, etc; ie. "The Barn" was more synthesized) but always with a strong underlying folk sound. However, your latest EP seems to combine all these genres into every song but also the new EP has more of a quintessential rock sound compared to your previous releases. Were your prior releases an experiment in some way to get to this point or did this sound come from something else?
FAMILY OF THE YEAR: We wanted the new album to have continuity, and be more focused. We worked to trim the songs and make them a little more punchy and direct. Wally Gagel, our amazing producer and friend, steered the ship and kept the energy focused.
SUPERGOODMUSIC: What would you say led to this change in direction?
FAMILY OF THE YEAR: Mainly the ability to work in such an amazing studio environment. The songs were sorted out before we began recording. Wally wanted to capture what we sounded like live - we recorded alot of it live, together.
SUPERGOODMUSIC: Your lyrics cover so many different emotions and tell such great stories….where do they originate from?
FAMILY OF THE YEAR: They come from different places, sometimes we project the way we want to be feeling, sometimes we tell true stories. Often we write as a group - as a message to both ourselves and to those who listen.
SUPERGOODMUSIC: Do you all share in the creation process lyrically? Musically?
FAMILY OF THE YEAR: Most of it comes from Joe. Almost all of the structures and melodies come from Joe. As a group, we collaborate mostly on lyrics.
SUPERGOODMUSIC: Did the writing process for these tracks differ from previous writing sessions?
FAMILY OF THE YEAR: Not really, it was a similar process. Some songs were finished before the group heard them, others were entire collaborations.
SUPERGOODMUSIC: Coming from such different places, how did you guys end up connecting with each other?
FAMILY OF THE YEAR: Joe and I are brothers who grew up on an island in massachusetts. We met James in Boston some years ago. James was an audio engineer where he met Joe during a session. He also played in a band around town- we quickly became friends. The three of us moved to LA a few years ago and met Chrissy shortly afterward. At Cha Cha I think.
SUPERGOODMUSIC: How do your personal backgrounds play into or inform the music you make?
FAMILY OF THE YEAR: It plays into it. We had diverse upbringings- Florida, orange county, and Marthas vineyard, quite different outlooks, and musical heritages. but we're all from (mostly) sunny places.
SUPERGOODMUSIC: What current bands are you guys listening to and drawing from? Who are your inspirations and influences?
FAMILY OF THE YEAR: I'm listening to Grouplove and Hooray For Earth. They are our friends, and definitely two of the best bands out there right now. I grew up listening to lots of stuff: Supergrass, Carole king, the Beach Boys. There really isn't a type of music we don't like or draw from in some way.
SUPERGOODMUSIC: With the release of St. Croix, can fans expect a tour in the near future? Are there any venues you are dying to play?
FAMILY OF THE YEAR: Yes! We are planning to tour alot next year. There will be dates coming soon. We really want to play the Greek Theater in LA, it's one of our goals.
SUPERGOODMUSIC Speaking of touring, has your experience on the road taught you any lessons that you'd want to share with other artists that have yet to get that sort of opportunity?
FAMILY OF THE YEAR: It's always worth the few extra bucks for a slightly better motel.
SUPERGOODMUSIC: Any complaints about the music industry thus far?
FAMILY OF THE YEAR: No complaints, it's a challenging business to be in. A friend of ours once reminded us that "you knew it was a snake when you picked it up".
The first 100 attendees of the show at Bootleg Bar will get a copy of the new EP for FREE. Get tickets here.
Brooklyn based hood rock (or Rock Hood?) party starters Shinobi Ninja stormThe Roxytonight for a FREE show presented by Billboard - Dreamseekers. It is on the early side, 7-9, but worth checking out - especially because it has no cost.
If you can't make it - tune into KXSC radio from 6-8 pm when I join Shelby Moran for two hours of audio dopeness.
It wasn't until I was in third grade that I departed from a daily routine of wearing sweatpants. Kosha Dillz latest music video, the second from his EP Gina & The Garage Sale, has me waxing nostalgic for the days when pants with buttons weren't even part of my wardrobe yet. The Jersey based MC most likely will be getting kids amped to rock sweatpants as a fashion statement today as he performs with Yo Gabba Gabba in New Brunswick, NJ at two shows this afternoon/evening.
What makes that so cool is, not only did he just drop the premier of his music video for "Sweatpants" on Consequence of Sound last night (see below), but rappers also are not the norm for the touring Yo Gabba Gabba show. With acts like Pretty Lights, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and Leslie Hall normally joining the tour - it is refreshing to see an MC that is always on his grind get his due. Sharing a stage with Biz Markie, Brobee, Muno, Plex and DJ Lance will most likely be not only cool for him - but a career accomplishment.
In support of one of the hardest working MCs I know (and because it is my nephew's favorite song) - I give you "Sweatpants" music video and a link to purchase the song via i-tunes as well as the free download of the Yo Gabba Gabba remix.
Hollywood’s party rap rockers RapScallions released their self-titled EP today - October 11th.To celebrate, RapScallions will be performing at On The Rox tonight. The first 100 guests will receive a free copy of RapScallions and there is an open bar for those of you legal to drink.
The second track, Freak In The Sheets contains elements of a signature 3OH!3 or LMFAO party anthem.On the other end of the sonic spectrum, the final cut, California Brain, has a guitar line comparable to Rage Against The Machine. Perhaps that is what landed it a spot in the new XBOX and PS3 game Rocksmith, due for release later in October 2011.
RapScallions was produced by Wendy Starland (Lady Gaga) and recorded at Interscope Studios in Santa Monica. To add even more credibility to their release, the band was able to get Kevin Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, Shania Twain) and Paul Lapinski (Ludacris, Alicia Keys) to mix the EP.
The energetic SoCal group's shared the stage with artists like Fishbone, Wu Tang Clan, Mike Posner, performed at The Toronto Film Festival and the official NBA All-Star Block Party and even played at VH1's Save The Music. Clearly, someone is looking out for them or their is some industry darling child in the group - possibly both. I have no idea if the act is worthy of the hype - so I will be at ON THE ROX tonight to judge for myself.
With free booze, a rising local artist and DJ Luca Buassi spinning - it should be, at the very least, worth checking out.
Naked & Famous aren't just an awesome act from down under parading through Los Angeles' The Music Box in a few weeks (October 17th) with The Chain Gang of 1974 and White Arrows. They are actually a smashing act from New Zealand who are getting lots of deserved recognition back in their homeland. We’re super excited to share that they've invited us to participate in a contest sponsored by Air New Zealand that would take some lucky fan to New Zealand to see them perform on their own turf.
Air New Zealand is giving only TWO fans of The Naked and Famous a chance to fly to New Zealand and get the VIP treatment for five days. But - it gets better. On top of paying for the flight from LA to NZ both ways, Air New Zealand (@FlyAirNZ) is paying for five nights of hotel accommodations and tickets to The Naked and Famous’ headlining show at Auckland Town Hall on November 4th.The prizes keep coming…
On November 3rd the winners also get to attend the New Zealand Music Awards (think the Grammy’s) as VIP guests of the band, a tour of Waihiki Island, a visit to South Island and the city of Queenstown and a traditional Maori experience on the West Coast. It sounds like an indie rockers honeymoon.....
All this in order to hang out with an amazing band who, by the way, currently has over 20 million views on YouTube.Their 2010 release, Passive Me, Aggressive You, peaked at 91 on the Billboard 200 and reached number 1 on the New Zealand Albums Chart.TNAF is also nominated for six New Zealand Music Awards: Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Best Group, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Best Alternative Album and the People's Choice Award. Check out the video for "Young Blood" below:
So, let’s recap shall we? If you enter you could win Air New Zealand’s The Naked and Famous contest which includes:
·Two round trip flights to Auckland from Los Angeles or San Francisco (departing Nov 1 and returning Nov 6)
·Exclusive Air New Zealand airport lounge passes
·Five nights hotel accommodations in New Zealand
·VIP tickets to the New Zealand Music Awards at the Tuis at the Vector Arena (Nov 3)
·VIP tickets to The Naked and Famous’ headlining show at the Auckland Town Hall (Nov 4)
·Waihiki Island excursion
·West Coast Maori Bush walk
·Flights and accommodations to Queenstown (South Island)
All I ask, is why wouldn't you enter this contest? To enter go here by 11:59 PM EST Friday October 14th.The winners will be announced on Monday October 17th.
