Prince in LA

So, Prince was in LA for an appearance on Jay Leno (see below) and three shows on Saturday. While I did not go to any of those shows (blame funding), I heard they were great, albeit too short. Nonetheless, Prince can rip it. He is a force to be seen, and all music enthusiasts should be privileged to see him at least once. He can shred on the guitar much more than you might realize from his hit records.

The YouTube Orchestra

This is an interesting concept - orchestral instrumentalists from all over the world drawn together through YouTube. Meet the YouTube Orchestra at this clip below. On April 15, 2009 they will perform at Carnegie Hall in New York:

Relentless 7 - Under Pressure - The Mint - 12/6

This is a video of Ben Harper's new band RELENTLESS SEVEN performing "Under Pressure." I was at the show - it was awesome.

They are playing at The Wiltern on May 28th. If you were one of the lucky ones seeing them at the small rooms around L.A. for the last few months, kudos to you. Looks like those gigs are done, considering they are playing the Wiltern, the 'Roo and other festivals.

Wale "Nike Boots" Link

Universal Music Group disables embedding from youtube, which almost makes me not want to recommend their videos. Nonetheless, I can't hate, I like this song and l like the simple black and white video.

Check it out. Copy and paste this url: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukTz2c0q9VY

LA CONCERT BLAST - Last One for March 09

Concert goers –

Hey. Hope you’re all doing well.

Got some cool new things to report:

• I went to this party on Monday hosted by Hunnypot Radio (check them out http://hunnypotunlimited.com/) and it was really cool. The selection of music was like filet mignon (i.e. choice cuts only) and they had some artists make entertaining appearances on the show. I highly recommend it for music scenesters.
• The French Semester was victorious in their LA Deli contest. Their follow up show at The Knitting Factory kicked ass. Check out their new record “GOOD FRIENDS ONLY I COULD SEE” on their MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/thefrenchsemester - some of my personal favorites are “Remembering Right Now” and “Fourteen.” If you can check them out at the Airliner on March 28th before they split the country for their European tour, you should.
• Discovered a new band that played at SXSW called The Volunteers. They are a rock type group from New York featuring a vocalist, Dan Goddard, that I went to high school with. Their album SPECTROPHILIA also has some top notch material (and a really cool cover) – personally I am feeling “Hoogabooga” which you can listen to on their MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/thevolunteers. The SPECTROPHILIA album is available on emusic.com if you are an emusic subscriber.

Below you’ll find your last LA CONCERT BLAST for the month of March. Since I got a late start this week (which can be blamed on March Madness in Vegas) I am taking you all the way through next weekend (April 5th). I recognize that the list is a little thin as the week gets further out. Check for updates on the blog.

Wednesday March 25th
• The Pepper Pots @ The Bluebeat Lounge
• Branford Marsalis @ Catalina Jazz Club
• Marnie Stern, Starfucker @ Echo
• Monte Carlo 76 @ Mama Juana’s
• Black Gold, No Kids, Parenthetical Girls @ Spaceland
• Hot Panda, Ambrose, Joe Brooks @ The Mint
• Paula Cole @ Pepperdine University
• Platinum Rockstars @ briXton
• Dub Club @ Echoplex
• Jason Heath and The Greedy Souls @ The King King Club
• Aqualung @ The Hotel Café
• Ozomatli @ The Grammy Museum
• Tricky @ Henry Fonda
• The Ascetic Junkies @ The Mint
• Sam Roberts Band w/ Mother Mother @ Troubadour
• Tyga @ Roxy
• Bret Dennen, Angus and Julia Stone @ H.O.B. – Sunset

Thursday March 26th
• DUBLUVA @ Lighthouse
• Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks, The Ditty Bops, Van Dyke Parks @ El Rey
• Outlaw Nation @ Saint Rocke
• Illinois, Kenan Bell, Boom Bip @ Echo
• Tera Melos, These Arms Are Snakes @ Echoplex
• Branford Marsalis @ Catalina Jazz Club
• Angelique Kidjo @ Bovard Auditorium
• Rhett Miller @ Largo
• Hot Panda @ Silverlake Lounge
• Red Fang, Earlyman @ Spaceland
• The Mighty Regis @ Molly Malones
• Sebastian Grainger, Beep Beep, The Show Is A Rainbow @ Knitting Factory (Front Room)
• Alaska In Winter @ Bordello
• Moonalice @ The Mint (FanManager Anniversary Party Night!)
• The Mae Shi, The Past Lives @ The Smell
• James Hunter, Ryan Shaw @ briXton
• Avowed @ Rusty’s Surf Ranch
• Alaksa In Winter @ Bordello Bar
• The Last Ambassadors @ The Apple Store (Santa Monica)
• The Bacon Brothers @ Hard Rock Café
• Chris Pierce @ Air Conditioned Lounge (Venice)
• Tropo @ H.O.B. – Sunset (Foundation Room)
• The Gay Blades, Craig Owens @ The Knitting Factory
• Great Northern @ Roxy
• The Tallest Man On Earth, Emily Wells @ Troubadour
• Folio @ Silver Factory Studios

Friday March 27th
• The Asteroids Galaxy Tour @ Echo
• Cold War Kids, Crystal Antlers @ Orpheum
• The Pod (Ween Tribute Band) @ Molly Malones
• Yuksek, Don Rimini, Family Force 5, Hit the Lights, A Rocket To The Moon @ Avalon
• Nas, Damian “Jr Gong” Marley @ Grammy Museum
• The Takeover UK, Gliss @ Spaceland
• Los Lobos @ Conga Room
• Billy Joel, Elton John @ Honda Center
• Soul Stash @ Crane’s Hollywood Tavern
• Carney @ Vanguard
• Louis C.K. @ The Wiltern
• PJ Morton, Free Will, Sophia Wisdom @ The Mint
• DJ Oggy @ Blue Moon
• Living With Lions @ The 580
• Girlie Girl Catfight Show @ El Rey (Performing Arts/Burlesque type show)
• War Tapes @ Motion Lounge
• Kyler England, Ehren Ebbage, Pedestrian @ The Hotel Café
• Rhett Miller @ briXton
• JJ Cale @ McCabe’s Guitar Shop
• Miss Kitty’s Haunted Mansion @ Echoplex
• The Soul of John Black @ Cozy’s Bar and Grill
• The Last Ambassadors @ Rusty’s Surf Ranch
• West Indian Girl @ Air Conditioned Lounge (Venice)
• Captains of Industry @ The Good Hurt
• Los Tigres Del Norte @ Gibson Amphitheatre
• Pete Rock @ Key Club
• Pelican, Tombs, Wolves in the Throne Room @ Troubadour

Saturday March 28th
• TOM MORELLO, BOOTS RILEY, Slash, Shooter Jennings, Corey Taylor, Jerry Cantrell, Sen Dog, Wayne Kramer (Justice Tour) @ Henry Fonda
• New Found Glory, Bayside, Set Your Goals @ Avalon
• Honor Society @ H.O.B. – Sunset
• Mad Temple @ Club Vodka
• Tilt Presents Radioclit, Short Circuit, etc. @ Echoplex
• Funky Sole @ Echo
• Prince @ Nokia Theatre L.A. Live (7 pm)
• Prince @ Conga Room (9:30 pm)
• PRINCE @ Club Nokia (Midnight)
• Kim DiVine @ Cat Club
• Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra @ El Camino College
• Paul Chesne @ O’Brien’s Irish Pub (Santa Monica)
• JJ Cale, Pieta Brown @ McCabe’s Guitar Shop
• Platinum Pied Pipers @ Dakota Live Music Lounge
• Bill Maher @ Gibson Amphitheatre
• Marc Ford & The Neptune Blues Club @ Cozy’s Bar & Grill
• Emery, Eyes Set To Kill @ Troubadour
• Ninja Academy @ Old Town Pub
• Peachcake @ Baja Cantina
• Aids Wolf @ The Smell
• Keaton Simons, Kyler England, The Rescues @ The Hotel Café
• DJ Oggy @ Tatou
• Women, Chad VanGaalen, Abe Vigoda @ Spaceland
• Scott Amendola @ Redcat Theatre
• Herman Dune @ Natural History useum
• The Last Ambassadors @ Molly Malones
• Biohazard, Suicidal Tendencies @ Palladium
• Tyrone Wells @ Saint Rocke
• Fumosonic @ Café Metropol
• eEnik @ Paul Gleason Theater
• Gabriel Angel @ Hollywood Park
• Branford Marsalis @ Catalina Jazz Club
• Madeleine Peyroux, William Fitzsimmons @ Club Nokia
• Chris Trapper @ Genghis Cohen
• Alesana, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Fall From Grace, etc. @ El Rey
• Standard @ Marlin Bar & Grill

Sunday March 29th
• Press Play @ Angelus Temple
• The Homosexuals, Silver Apples @ Echo
• Radar Bros., Le Switch @ Echo
• Black Fag @ Molly Malones
• Neil Hamburger, The Fuxedos @ Spaceland
• Lukas Rossi @ The Hotel Café
• The Idan Raichel Project @ Orpheum
• The Renderers @ The Smell
• Lilofee @ Cinespace
• Chris Duarte Group @ Café Boogaloo
• Crystal Antlers @ Founders Park
• Detroit7 @ knitting Factory
• The Bird and The Bee @ Broad Stage
• Paul Chesne @ Santa Monica Farmer’s Market
• DJ Quik @ Key Club
• Rasputina @ Troubadour
• KSM @ Roxy
• Billy Boy On Poison @ The Viper Room
• Gym Class Heroes, Lil’ Wayne, T-Pain, Keri Hilson @ Gibson Amphitheatre

Monday March 30th
• Billy Joel, Elton John @ Honda Center
• Jared Mees and The Grown Children @ Knitting Factory
• David Hodges, Son De Madera @ Molly Malones
• DJ Oggy @ Lucky Strike
• Summer Darling, Wait.think.fast, Kissing Cousins @ Echo
• Tiny Vaudeville @ Echoplex
• Chris Duarte Group @ Redwood Bar
• The Grates, Nico Stai @ Spaceland
• Inside the Fender Custom Shop @ Grammy Museum at LA Live
• Waiting 4 Wyatt @ Knitting Factory
• Steel Panther @ Key Club
• Emiliana Torrini, Lay Low @ Troubadour
• Heartthrob @ H.O.B. – Sunset

Tuesday March 31st
• Mai Doi Todd @ Echo
• The Bad Dates, Soul Stash @ Good Hurt
• RAIN – A Beatles Experience @ Pantages Theatre
• The Dave Rwarlings Machine, Gillian Welch @ Largo
• The Janks @ Little Temple
• Captains of Industry @ Silverlake Lounge
• The Expendables, Less Than Jake @ Avalon
• Cubensis (Grateful Dead Tribute) @ Marlin Bar & Grill
• Guadalajara Joe @ Dragon Fly Club
• Bohren & Der Club of Gore @ Spaceland
• Tom Morello @ Grammy Museum
• Gaby Moreno @ Jennifer’s Coffee Connection (Studio City)

Wednesday April 1st
• THE RAKES @ Troubadour
• White Denim @ Spaceland
• Shaped Like A Gun @ The Airliner Club
• You Me & Iowa @ Dakota Live Music Lounge
• Keith Anderson, The Lost Trailers @ H.O.B. – Sunset
• Tanya Nunez @ O’Brien’s Irish Pub (Santa Monica)
• William Tell, Lynhurst, Owltrain @ Knitting Factory
• Lucy Schwartz @ Hotel Cafe
• War Tapes @ The Smell
• Dub Club @ Echoplex
• Gregory and the Hawk @ Echo
• Non Human Intelligence, Fayuca @ Knitting Factory
• Jill Marie, Bryson Vancleve @ Room 5
• Gavin DeGraw, Angel Taylor, Joey Degraw @ El Rey
• Candlebox, Jet Black Stare, Royal Bliss @ Roxy

Thursday April 2nd (Brandon’s Birthday)
• LILY ALLEN, NATALIE PORTMAN’S SHAVED HEAD @ The Wiltern
• Anya Marina, Matt Hires @ The Hotel Café
• Peelander-Z, The Phenomenauts, Captains of Industry @ The Knitting Factory
• Mama’s Cookin, Eric Lindell @ The Mint
• Omar Sosa @ Jazz Bakery
• Tift Merritt @ Largo
• Voxhaul Broadcast, Spirit Vine, My pet Saddle @ Echo
• Finding Fiction @ Good Hurt
• Jeremy Jay @ The Smell
• Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Justin Townes Earle @ Spaceland
• Bill Frisell @ Skirball Cultural Center
• RAIN – A Beatles Experience @ Pantages Theatre
• Jill Marie @ Giggles n’ Hugs
• Bonnie “Prince” Billy, White Magic @ El Rey
• Press Play @ Angelus Temple
• Valient Thorr @ Alex’s Bar
• The Zone @ Saint Rocke
• Wylde Bunch @ Dakota Live Music Lounge
• Fishbone @ Air Conditioned (Venice)
• Plan White T’s, Vedera, Danger:Radio @ H.O.B. – Sunset
• Divine Heresy @ Whisky A Go Go
• Robert Francis @ Troubadour
• TAT, Sing It Loud @ Key Club

Friday April 3rd
• DR. LONNIE SMITH, Big Organ Trio @ The Mint
• Mishka, John Brown’s Body @ The Roxy
• Revolutioanry Side Effects, Check In The Dark @ El Cid
• Charmaine Clamor @ Catalina Jazz Club
• Acid Mother’s Temple, Sonic Suicide Squad @ Echo
• Omar Sosa @ Jazz Bakery
• Little Big Town, Zac Brown Band @ Club Nokia
• Delta Nove @ Que Sera
• Fifteen Fleeting @ The Blue Café
• Eric Lindell @ Café Boogaloo
• Club Underground @ Echo
• Valient Thorr @ Spaceland
• Silent Treatment @ The Knitting Factory
• The Blue Hit @ The Hotel Café
• Bus Driver, Time Fite @ Natural History Museum
• Pillars And Tongues @ Regent Theatre
• RAIN – A Beatles Experience @ Pantages Theatre
• Lamb of God, Children of Bodom, God Forbid, DevilDriver @ Palladium
• Which One’s Pink (Pink Floyd Tribute) @ briXton
• The Haunted, The Agonist, Merauder @ Key Club
• The Get Up Kids @ Troubadour
• Atomic Punks @ H.O.B. – Sunset

Saturday April 4th
• RATATAT, Tussie, Despot @ Palladium
• Moss Bluff @ Crane’s Hollywood Tavern
• Sharam @ Avalon
• Puscifer, Into the Presence @ Club Nokia
• Eric Lindell @ Café Boogaloo
• Stero Total, Leslie & The Ly’s @ El Rey
• Bigfellas @ Molly Malones
• Arturo Sandoval @ Luckman Theater
• Funky Sole @ Echo
• Bootie LA @ Echoplex
• Eugene Mirman, John Wesley Harding @ Largo
• RAIN – A Beatles Experience @ Pantages Theatre
• Naomi Less @ Room 5
• Kaskade @ Vanguard Theatre
• Rebel Rebel @ The Hive
• Los Pinguos, The Debonaires @ The Mint
• Dennis Leary @ Nokia Theatre L.A. Live
• Omar Sosa @ Jazz Bakery
• Free Moral Agents @ Knitting Factory (Front Room)
• Left Alone, Gamblers Mark @ Knitting Factory (Main Stage)
• DJ Oggy @ Tatou
• Spencer Owen, ON the Fritz @ The Cocaine
• Left Alone @ Knitting Factory
• Tortured Soul @ The Roxy
• BeauSoleil Avec Michael Doucet @ McCabe’s Guitar Shop
• Rachael Yamagata @ Troubadour
• Madame Trash Heap @ The Cat Club
• Adam’s Attic @ Key Club
• Berlin, Killola @ H.O.B. – Sunset
• Great Lake Swimmers, Kate Maki @ Spaceland
• DJ Oggy @ Tatou

Sunday April 5th
• Justo Almario, Omar Sosa @ Jazz Bakery
• You Me & Iowa @ Que Sera
• Droog, Simon Baker @ Downtown LA Standard
• RAIN – A Beatles Experience @ Pantages Theatre
• Asher Roth @ Key Club
• Doshus @ Dakota Live Music Lounge
• Organica @ Royce Hall
• Cut Chemist, Sixteens, Secret Society of the Sonic Six @ Echo
• Old Californio CD Release Party @ Echo (5 pm)
• Bigfellas @ Molly Malones
• Puscifer @ Club Nokia
• Press Play @ Angelus Temple

BEASTIE BOYS @ HOLLYWOOD BOWL!!!!!!!!!

UNBELIEVABLE NEWS TO REPORT - THE BEASTIE BOYS WILL BE HEADLINING THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL ON SEPTEMBER 24th FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!!!!!!!!!!!

COPY AND PASTE THIS LINK TO READ MORE ABOUT THE SHOW AND REISSUE OF CHECK YOUR HEAD

http://www.jambase.com/Articles/17146/Beastie-Boys-Check-Your-Head-Reissue-Hollywood-Bowl-Sept-24

Jealous of you SXSWers

I must admit that I am entirely jealous of anyone and everyone that was at SXSW in Austin, TX this past week (For the uninformed, SXSW is to music what Sundance is to film). At the time it came to make plans, I was working full throttle at the law firm and really did not have the availability to spare a week of my time to head to Austin to check out the latest and greatest in the music scene. Unfortunately, my job status didn't change until two weeks before SXSW when I no longer had the funds saved to go....

But, for those that did go, I have no doubts that it was a blast. The scene sounded like it was going to be incredible this year. I can't remember a year in history where there were more acts that I wanted to see (not to mention more people that I grew up with who were performing - what's up Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi and The Volunteers' Dan Goddard???!?!?!?). The stellar line-up, combined with sponsored parties and the generally vibe of Austin all equals up to one kick ass time.

For those of you who did go - I would love to get your feedback on who the best acts were - musically, stage presence, improvisation, etc. Also, any tips on where to stay and what to do or not to do at SXSW would be helpful for me as well as other readers.

THANKS.