It is hard to measure the impact of the death of the King of Pop. He influenced so many of the musicians we listen to today. He even made us engage in conversations over what is appropriate for adults to do with children. While in his latter years he became more known for his non-music shenanigans than his actual musical talent - by far his biggest contribution is his music.
I've been holding a personal tribute over the last few hours and I just finished listening to "Human Nature" which SWV later sampled. I didn't even remember that SWV had sampled the MJ song until listening to it - but I can remember dancing to that SWV song at Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. Another underrated Jackson cut, "Shake Your Body" off of Destiny, had me jamming out. Even the songs that don't crack his greatest hits or that some of us might not recognize by name are bangers for the ages.
To cut to the point - no musician has really had the ubiquitous impact on musicians of all genres that Jackson had over the span of his career. For that, he should be praised.
You may have heard me boast about going to high school with Kid Cudi or Dan Goddard of The Volunteers, or possibly heard me mention some of the awesome Ohio cats I know who make up Ohio Party in New York. There are plenty more to mention, even some I went to highs school with - but I want to draw your attention to a soon-to-be famous Ohioan, Mark Foster.
I met Mark at the baggage check in LAX on my way back from Cleveland. We had both taken the same connecting flight from Chicago. I had seen him sitting in the neighborhood of Andy Dick, the comedian, before boarding the plane and thought he looked familiar. I finally approached him in baggage check so I could duck off I was totally mistaken. Turns out - while I hadn't seen him on television - I may have met him back in the day somewhere in the greater Cleveland area. Who knows....
All that said, Mark is a really nice guy AND he makes awesome music. He already has some things going for him, and his myspace page - http://www.myspace.com/markfostermusic - gives you a little flavor of the beautiful music he is capable of creating. I like "Downtown" and "I Would Do Anything For You."
Check out this video - Sorry Little Lucy. I like the perspective and the minimalism. Plus, he's got the hair of a rockstar.
The Brat, Broken Needle, Le Face, Heart Throb, Wet Reckless @ Knitting Factory (Alterknit)
Adele @ The Tonight Show w/ Conan O’Brien
Three Bad Jacks, Viva Hate, Old Man Markley, No Dice, Moonshine @ Troubadour
Ben Nichols @ Eagle Rock Center for The Arts
Kenny Burrell @ Catalina Jazz Club
Pretty Lights, Boyz Noize, STS9, Thievery Corporation, SPKTRM & Many More @ Electric Daisy Carnival
Deep 6 Holiday @ Good Hurt Night Club
Phoenix @ Jimmy Kimmel Live
Ghost Hounds @ Molly Malones
Taylor Dayne, Trinere, Passadire @ Nokia Theatre L.A. Live
Throw Rag, Hickoids @ Redwood Bar & Grill
Shiloe @ Silver Factory Studios
Chuck Ragan @ The Knitting Factory
Orgone @ The Mint
Until Jane, Ryan Calhoun, Clare Means, Julie Neumark, Erica Driscoll @ The Hotel Cafe
DJ Oggy @ Blue Moon
Too Rude, OPM, Guava Belly @ Saint Rocke
Aretha Franklin, Teddy Richards @ Hollywood Bowl
Forsythe, Resident Hero, DJ Lady ShaSha @ Dakota Live Music Lounge
Xavier Rudd, Jeremy Fisher @ HOB – Sunset
Stampead @ O’Brien’s Irish Pub
Michelle Shocked @ McCabe’s Guitar Shop
The Seventh Season @ The Cat Club
Saturday June 27, 2009
Telekinesis, The Boat People, One Trick Pony @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo (FREE)
City By Storm, Trividian, Scour Music, Underground Transition @ The Roxy
The Zombies, The Yardbirds, The Spencer Davis Group @ The Wiltern
The Estate @ Nic’s Beverly Hills
Look What I Did, She Rides @ DiPiazza’s Lava Lounge
Patti Lupone, Mandy Patinkin @ Ahmanson Theatre
SAM, VNV Nation, War Tapes, Ayria @ Club Nokia
Cash’d Out (Johnny Cash Tribute), DUBcrooner @ Saint Rocke
Rodriguez, Glasser, Brightblack Morning Light @ El Rey
Mr. Smolin @ Echo Curio
Bandwagon @ Joxer Daly’s
Fokushima @ Crane’s Hollywood Tavern
Them Novus @ Gallagher’s Pub & Grill
Major Lazer, Mark Farina, Simian Mobile Disco, DJ AM, Switch, David Guetta, Diplo, Yojimbo, Le Castle Vania, Benny Benassi, Groove Armada, Paul van Dyk, Infected Mushroom, Kaskade & Many More @ Electric Daisy Carnival (Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum)
ABBA The Tour @ Hollywood Bowl
Halloween Jack, Rocket@ Spaceland
Mandi Perkins Band @ Molly Malones
Explosions in The Sky, No Age, Eluvium @ Hollywood Palladium
Ultraviolet @ The Bordello
Elevaters @ The Mint
Del Castillo @ Levitt Pavilion
Visa, The Dirty Diamond, The Cause, Magnus Hitch, Century Repeat @ The Troubadour
Fuzz-Huzzi, Circus of Power @ The Knitting Factory
Sarah Siskind, Truth & Salvage Co, Mitchells Folly, Graydon, Leftover Cuties, Eliza Rickman @ The Hotel Café
Tierra @ Warner Grand Theatre
Globus, The Immediate @ Broad Stage
Delilah Jones @ King Neptunes
BLVD, Cory Phillips, Wylde Bunch @ Dakota Live Music Lounge
Paul Chesne @ O’Brien’s Irish Pub
A Flock of Seagulls, Dramarama, Gene Loves Jezebel @ HOB – Sunset
Club Vodka’s 7 Year Anniversary w/ Circus of Power @ Knitting Factory
OneSideZero @ Whisky A Go Go
Which One’s Pink? (Pink Floyd Tribute) @ Key Club
The Royals of San Diego, The Drifters, Rick Williams’ Blues Olympics @ Gibson Amphitheatre
Sunday June 28, 2009
Local Natives, Saint Motel @ Echo (day show)
Gliss, Death to Anders, Rainbow Arabia, Army Navy, Exitmusic @ Echoplex (1:30 pm)
Simon Stokes, 50 Cent Haircut, Hang Jones @ Echo (5 pm – FREE)
St. Christopher, The Tartans, Sea Lions @ Echo
Adele @ Hollywood Bowl
Phoenix, Amazing Baby @ Wiltern
Greg Laswell, Pete & Jay @ Saint Rocke
Neil Hamburger, Imagine The Band @ Spaceland
DAT Politics @ The Smell
Songwriter Sundays Presents: Nadia Piotrowsky, Kathryn Ostenberg, The Reflectacles, Kate Strand, Jake Labotz, Jen Kuhn @ The Hotel Cafe
Greg Laswell, Pete and J @ Saint Rocke
Night Sweat @ Good Hurt Night Club
Cursive, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, Box Elders @ El Rey Theater
Patti Lupone, Mandy Patankin @ Ahmanson Theatre
Kenny Burrell @ Catalina Jazz Club
Veil Era @ The Big Fish
Ashley Mendel @ Knitting Factory (Front Stage)
The Divine Crime @ The Airliner Club
Look What I Did, She Rides @ The BLVD
California Philharmonic @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
Paul Chesne @ Main Street Summer Solstice Fair (Santa Monica)
DJ Quik @ Key Club
The New Low @ Renee’s (Santa Monica)
The Bayliens @ The Terrace
Project Live @ Dakota Live Music Lounge
ON THE RADAR
6/29 – Ani DiFranco @ Orpheum Theatre
6/29 – The Strange Boys, Mika Miko @ The Smell
6/29 – Ed Harcourt @ Bordello
6/30 – Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood @ Hollywood Bowl
6/30 – Links @ Silverlake Lounge
7/1 – The French Semester @ Silverlake Lounge
7/1 – Eulogies @ Echo
7/1 – McTuff (feat. Skerik) @ The Mint
7/1 – Stone Foxes @ The Roxy
7/1 – Stone Temple Pilots @ HOB – Sunset Strip
7/1 – Christopher Hawley @ Dakota Lounge
7/2 – Nickodemus @ Zanzibar
7/4 – Deer Tick w/ Dawes @ Spaceland
7/5 – Death Cab For Cutie, New Pornographers, Tegan & Sara @ Hollywood Bowl
7/5 – Crocodiles @ Echo
7/7 – The Hold Steady, El Bronx @ El Rey
7/8 – The French Semester, The Volunteers @ On The Rox
7/9 – Old 97’s w Rhett Miller @ Henry Fonda
7/10 – Andrew Bird, Ra Ra Riot, Heartless Bastards @ Greek Theatre
7/10 – Boyce Avenue, Hana Pestle @ Knitting Factory
7/11 – Tortoise @ Troubadour
7/11 – Orgone, Breakestra, The Lions @ Funk Rumble
7/11 – The Dan Band @ Club Nokia
7/11 – Adam Freeland @ Vanguard
7/12 – J-Boogie @ Vanguard
7/13 – Beyonce @ Staples Center
7/16 – Cowboy Junkies, Son Volt @ The Wiltern
716 – Germs, The Mae Shi, Spider Problem @ El Rey
7/16 – The Spires, The French Semester @ Echo Curio
7/16 – Hot Buttered Rum @ The Mint
7/16 – Jet @ Key Club
7/17 – The Donnas @ Troubadour
7/17 – Ceu @ Roxy Theatre
7/17 – Faith Hill @ Hollywood Bowl
7/17 – Tori Amos @ Greek Theatre
7/17 – Devin The Dude @ The Knitting Factory
7/18 – Cage, Yak Ballz @ El Rey
7/18 – Faith Hill @ Hollywood Bowl
7/18 – Charlie Wilson, Jupiter Rising, Keith Sweat @ Nokia Theatre
8/07 – Los Amigos Invisibles, West Indian Girl @ HOB – Sunset Strip
8/07 – Big Sam’s Funky Nation @ The Mint
8/07 – Bilal @ Conga Room
8/07 – Black Eyed Peas @ OC Super Fair
8/08 – Rock The Bells feat. Ice Cube, Nas, Big Boi, Busta Rhymes, The Roots, Reflection Eternal, Common, K’Naan, RZA, GZA, Raekwon, The Knux, Eyedea & Abilities, Pete Rock, KRS-One, Supernatural, Murs, Chali 2na, Evidence & Alchemist, and others…@ San Manuel Amphitheatre
8/08 – Morris Day & The Time @ Greek Theatre
8/08 – Rye Rye, A-Trak, Busy P, Chromeo, Crystal Castles, Sinden, Underworld, Sebastian @ The Forum
8/08 – Morris Day & The Time @ Greek Theatre
8/08 – Casiokids @ Spaceland
8/09 – Toots and The Maytals @ Hollywood Bowl
8/12 – N.A.S.A @ El Rey
8/12 – Dr. John, James Cotton, Buddy Guy @ Hollywood Bowl
8/13 – Eric Krasno & Chapter 2, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk @ Key Club
8/13 – Drake, Soulja Boy, Young Jeezy, Lil’ Wayne @ Gibson Amphitheatre
This bill came together just about a week ago, but it is going to be a stimulating night of entertainment on the East side of Los Angeles.
With amps still hot from their feverish performance at Dakota Music Lounge last Monday, The French Semester brings their fresh and unique blend of psych-rock, indie-pop, and folk music to echo. Catch them playing songs from Good Friends Only I Could See and Open Letter to The Disappeared, as well as some of their tunes from their untitled, yet to be recorded album - including the soon to be hits "The Large Bouquet"and "What's In The Bag?". TFS goes on at 10 pm. Check out more tunes at www.myspace.com/thefrenchsemester
After The French Semester, LANDy featuring Adam Goldberg, most recently of The Unusuals (ABC) fame, but perhaps better known for his roles in films like Saving Private Ryan, or even Dazed & Confused ("I just want to dance!" from the backseat of the car - anyone; getting in a fight at the keg party), hit the stage. Songs from LANDy's new album, featuring members of the Flaming Lips and Earlimart, are better off witnessed in person (plus, for all you ladies who had crushes on the quirky actor - this is your opportunity to see him get even sexier as a musician). Here them play before their album comes out on June 23rd. Download the song BFF for FREE by linking through their myspace page - http://www.myspace.com/landytheband
Well, I am pleased to report that the first complete Supergoodmusic event was a success. Monday's show at Dakota Live Music Lounge in Santa Monica went off without a hitch.
Beau Landry opened at 8 pm to a not so packed room. Although I was not nervous at the lack of persons at 8 pm, I felt bad that Beau had to go on with only like 10 people in the room. That said, those people were pretty damn cool - including the staff at Dakota (the sound man is a really nice, easy to work with guy and one of their bartenders, Brandon, not only has an awesome name...but he is cool too). Beau's music was good, not spectacular, but how spectacular can you be playing to a room with only 10 people? Everyone seemed to enjoy his tunes - there just were not enough people there to enjoy it. Maybe next time the first act can go on at 8:30 instead...
As Beau Landry finished, the room started to get a little more full. That is when I noticed the featured beverage of the night - the Supafresh. Not only was I pleased to see a beverage crafted from my special Naked Vodka Crack recipe - but it was named for the night too. Thus, I started on a Supafresh drinking extravaganza which ended in my being Supa-drunk and then Supa-hungover
By 9:00 pm the room was healthily supplied with faces young and old eager to see the indie-rock, shoegaze stylings of Helicopter Rounds, The French Semester and Moving Picture Show (Beau Landry opened, but was finished at 8:40).
Helicopter Rounds, a trio of doctors who work in UCLA's ER, took the stage with a fury. Although I am unfamiliar with the names of their tunes, I really, really enjoyed their music. I think they played "I'll Never Leave" which I wasn't feeling as much pre-show - but now I am totally digging it. They definitely have character and charisma on stage and they knew how to keep the energy going. They maintained the vibe of the night, were easy to work with and ultimately were a great assist band for The French Semester.
The French Semester, the headliner of the night (although they played second to last), took stage around 9 pm to a house of about 100-120 people and they straight kicked ass! This band is really starting to find their groove after having added a female vocalist to the mix (Elaine) and a new keyboard player (Russ). They played some happy-go-lucky crowd pleasers - "Remembering Right Now" and "Fourteen" - as well as the slightly darker, but equally as awesome "The East Man." The room was grooving, people were tapping their feet, bobbing their heads and even some people were dancing....on a Monday, at an indie, shoegaze show. The crowd ate it up, clapping and cheering for the band after every song. TFS pumped it out for a long set - pushing on for close to an hour on a Monday night. The crowd's enthusiasm and Dakota Lounge's great sound probably helped keep their musical gravy train chugging...
After The French Semester came Moving Picture Show, the only signed act of the night. With a well choreographed entrance which featured the drummer playing marching drums as he emerged from the kitchen, it appeared the performance would be on high octane for the rest of the night. While the band raged and powered through their set, the crowd began to thin out given that it was a Monday night. MPS gave a great effort - playing a powerful forty minutes before calling it a night.
All in all, it was a big success. Over 100 people through the door - more than half of whom paid.
