The Sounds - October 21, 2009 - The Wiltern

Sometimes the best decisions in life are made in an instant, and although that may sound a little dramatic, but it completely encompasses how I feel about last night. At the very last possible moment, I decided to buy tickets to see one of my favorite bands The Sounds, as they played the first night of a two-night residency at The Wiltern.

Last night marked the sixth time that I have seen The Sounds and I would have to say that it was the best that I have ever seen them. With the release of their third album Crossing The Rubicon, the sounds now have a fantastic catalog that makes for an amazing live show. If you’re a fan, you won’t be disappointed in their set lists because they play everything you want to hear. From one of the first songs they wrote as a band (“Living In America”) to their latest single (“Beatbox,” which, in my opinion, was the best song from last night) and everything in between. Every time that I see The Sounds I always leave thinking about how incredible lead singer Maja is, and though I did think she was as amazing as always, I was really taken back by how great the band is as a whole and was angry with myself for never really appreciating how great they have been in the past.

With the exception of a few rows in the mezzanine, the venue was packed and although it’s taken them a long time to get to this level of success in America, the band will be the first ones to point out that non stop touring has brought them to where they are today. I think the best part about being a fan of The Sounds is that I’ve watched them go from playing a small club in downtown Detroit with about 50 people to a sold out show in Los Angeles, and I’ve loved every minute of the ride.

Here is the set list from last nights show:

Crossing the Rubicon

Dorchester Hotel

Queen of Apology

Hit Me!

Mine For Life

No One Sleeps When I'm Awake

Midnight Sun

Rock 'N Roll

Seven Days a Week

Night After Night

4 Songs & A Fight

My Lover

Hurt You

Beatbox

Underground

Painted By Numbers

Living In America

Ego

Encore:

Tony the Beat

Song With A Mission

Hope You're Happy Now

WEDNESDAY'S SUGGESTIONS

Sorry for the late update, but I've been scrambling to find my ID so I can pick up my guestlist love at these concerts. Literally, left my ID at the Avalon on Monday when I saw Brazilian Girls and it is nowhere to be found (Avalon why haven't you called me back - WTF mate? - I mean, how did I pick up the tickets without my ID? That's not possible. Someone just thinks Brandon Dorsky is handsome or knows an underage kid that looks like him).

I thought I'd have the sit' resolved by last night - but didn't and couldn't get my tix for Noah & The Whale at The Roxy or get alcohol no less (sorry...but, I just found the Passport so I won't have either of those problems again). And, basically, this post is late because I spent a whole afternoon at the DMV getting a renewal...which isn't coming for another 10 fucking business days (are you serious CA? Why can't you just print it right there...it is a replacement).

But, on with the recommendations. Sticking with the initial suggestion in the CONCERT BLAST of Assembly of Dust for the jammers.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 21ST

Emmitt Nershi Band, Assembly of Dust, Jerry Hannan @ The Mint

The Heavy, Sweaters, Shirley Rolls @ Echo

Dub Club Presents Michigan and Smiley @ Echoplex

Choir Of Young Believers, Make Moon @ Spaeeland

NEEDTOBREATHE, Serena Ryder, The Alternate Routes @ Troubadour

Steve Lukather w/ TrEv LuKaThR @ The Roxy

Logan’s Heroes, Ladyjack, Hillbilly Herald, Lords of Jack, Kamikaze Red @ The Viper Room

Maylan Ackerman, System and Station @ Molly Malones

Pac Sun Battle of the Bands @ Knitting Factory (Main Stage)

Baseline Ent., Special Delivery, Broadway, The Circuit, Amp @ Knitting Factory (Front Stage)

A & R Knights @ Knitting Factory (Alterknit Lounge)

The Sounds @ The Wiltern

Kathryn Ostenberg/Sarah Dashew/Paul Haasch @ Room 5 Lounge

UE3 Presents: Josh Canova and Alina Cutrono @ Genghis Cohen

Nor Liable @ Whisky A Go Go

Arrington De Dionyso, Neal Morgan, Corey Marc Fogel, Peter Kolovos @ The Smell

The Eye Presents The Honkys and Dos Hermanos @ Redwood Bar & Grill

Hawksley Workman, Tony Lucca, Matthew Santos, Alex Brumel & Janel Elizabeth @ The Hotel Cafe

Soul Pupper, Dietra Kruschev @ Silverlake Lounge

BRAZILIAN GIRLS / TUESDAY'S RECOMMENDATIONS...

If you were combing the Concert Blast or just happened to be in the know, you may have realized that Brazilian Girls were tearing up the Avalon last night. The trio hailing from New York (who perform as a quartet) put together a tight knit show, featuring some great visuals, a scantily clad Sabina Sciubba and some excellent drumming and keys.

The highlight for me was probably "Good Time"; Sabina looked beautiful in her La Perla-ish full body lingerie with her heart shaped cut-out on her chest and booty. Bouncing around stage and flirtatiously playing with the crowd, she made me feel really charmed just standing there. The eclectically mixed crowd got down - despite being a mix of those who knew BG music and those that didn't know it so well.

I unfortunately had to cut out a little early to make it over to Hunnypot - which was still popping well after the radio show was over. I heard from a bird that Old Californio put on a solid performance in the Hot Tub - so check them out here. That bird was Rob Weldon, manager of the rising (and fucking incredibly amazing) band Stone Foxes. You may have heard the Foxes song "Beneath Mt. Sinai" on Sons of Anarchy recently - and expect to be hearing more music from them soon as they will be in Los Angeles in late November for performances at both The Viper Room (11/19) and The Mint (11/21).

That about wraps up Monday - so lets take a look at what is going on in Los Angeles today.....

As usual, DIMMAK Tuesdays will be popping off at Cinespace with Dan Oh and Them Jeans with special guests for the night El Ten Eleven; Noah & The Whale will be melancholy grooving at The Roxy; Brother Ali will be exhibiting his dynamic lyrical abilities and exceptional stage presence at El Rey along with Evidence, BK One and Toki Wright; Grizzly Bear will be delivering a healthy dosage of the hippest indie music at Hollywood Palladium and Owl City will be making heads spin at their sold out Troubadour show.

If you want to check out something else, peep the below listing for who is playing where on Tuesday October 20th.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 20^th

DIMMAK PRESENTS: El Ten, Eleven, Rainbow, Arabia, Kelevra, True, Pseudo, Them Jeans, Dan Oh @ Cinespace (Free Vodka from 10-11; rsvp to dimmaktuesdays@dimmak.com)

Dj Meegs & Kyle, Dan Rockett, Suicide Cowboy, Louden Swain @ The Mint

Why?, AU, Sergenti & Polyphonic @ Echoplex

The Subjects, Bad Veins, Cobralilies @ Echo

The Happy Stars, The Meadows, Downtown Union @ Spaceland

Owl City, The Scene Aesthetic, Brooke Waggoner @ Troubadour (SOLD OUT)

Noah & The Whale, Robert Francis @ The Roxy

BloodPenny, Wait For Green, Stephanie Quayle, Matt Alber, Lindsey Harper & Rick Hack @ The Viper Room

DUBTROIT feat. Seven, DJ EVOL, Pawn, Q.45 @ Detroit Bar

Adrian Belew Power Trio, Death and Taxes @ Brixton

Snow Patrol @ The Wiltern

89.9 KCRW Presents Grizzly Bear @ Hollywood Palladium

The Disney Symphonic Legacy Featuring John Mauceri and The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra @ The Hollywood Bowl

Brother Ali with Evidence, Toki Wright and BK One @ El Rey Theatre

NAOMI STRIEMER (8pm), THE GUS COMPANY acoustic (9pm) @ Room 5 Lounge

Natalie Davidson @ Genghis Cohen

Phlip Coggins, Rod Melancon, Eric Tollefson @ Whisky A Go Go

The Moth Story @ El Cid

Stab City @ Redwood Bar & Grill

Caitlin Crosby, Karina Denike, Sweet Talk Radio, Kaylee Cole @ Hotel Café

The Monthlies, Megasapien, The Active Set, Eugene & The 1914, Melee @ Silverlake Lounge

MONDAYS SHOWS - DAILY BLAST DOSAGE - OCTOBER 19th

Tonight, I highly recommend LA ROUX at EL REY or BRAZILIAN GIRLS at AVALON. If I had more time, I'd explain why....but just trust me, you won't be disappointed.

MONDAY OCTOBER 19th

Brazilian Girls @ Avalon

The Decemberists @ Royce Hall (UCLA)

Vieux Carre Mondays feat. Kevin O’Day Band & DJ Quikie Mart @ The Mint

DYLAPALOOZA w/ Tonic, Emily Wells, Sonos, Leah Andreone, The Lonely Forest @ Echoplex

Classical Greek Theater presents Correatown, Charlie Wadhams, Deerheart, The Hereafter @ Echo

KROQ Locals Only – Light FM, His Orchestra, The Meeting Places, Lost Lake @ Spaceland

Bob Mould Band, Spiral Stairs @ Troubadour

Dead by Sunrise feat. Chester Bennington (of Linkin Park), The Delta Fiasco, Neo Geo @ The Roxy

Alevela, Against All Will, Imagine Dragons, Daymes Rocket, The Laundry Shop @ The Viper Room

Flaming Lips Release Party @ The Viper Room Downstairs Lounge

Steel Panther, Shapes of Racecars, Phathom, Prohibition Rose @ Key Club

The Fling, We Barbarians, Sam Morgan @ Detroit Bar

Tamar, Kai Elle @ Molly Malones

Neal Morgan, Pit Er Pat, Whqles, Concett9 @ Echo Curio

Jeremy Buck & The Bang @ Saint Rocke

Snow Patrol and Plain White T’s @ Henry Fonda (formerly At Wiltern)

La Roux with Tearist @ El Rey

Monday Night Songwriters in the Round featuring JOEL ECKELS, AMBER RUBARTH, GABY MORENO and MARVIN ETZIONI with MAI BLOOMFIELD (8pm) and the ROYALTIES @ Room 5 Lounge

Open Mic Night @ Genghis Cohen

Sean Carnage Presents: Mikki & the Mauses, Art of Bleeding, Single Mothers, Spellcaster @ Pehrspace

The Blind Boy Paxton & Frank Fairfield Show @ Redwood Bar & Grill

Marie Digby, Mozella, Tiff Jimber, Nicole Simone @ The Hotel Café

Jonneine Zapata, Yellow Alex, Angie Mattson, Scrote @ Silverlake Lounge (FREE)

THURSDAYS SHOWS

Last night at Pretty Lights was absolutely amazing. Packed house at the Key Club (Thank you for the ad). Bumped into Odd Modern at the show - who, although not PL, have similar flavor in their sound.

The Grassroots California light up hats were a hit. You can get the non-lit version on the website and there is a ransom for the missing size 8 Artist's custom version.

BELOW you will find recommendations for tonight's shows in bold. I will be at The Mint for the Portable Payback EP Release Show. If you dig Jurassic 5, you'll dig Portable Payback.

THURSDAY'S SHOWS:

BLK JKS, The Growlers, Mack Winston and the Reflections @ Spaceland

The Devil Makes Three, Old Man Markley, He’s My Brothers She’s My Sister @ Echoplex

Dan Deacon, Nuclear Power Pants @ Echo

Daniel Lanois Black Dub, Infantree @ Troubadour

The Guilt Complex, Killing Bees, I Hear Voices, The Ex Gentlemen, Transit Studio @ On The Rox

Secondhand Seronade, The Rust, The Audition, Evan Taubenfeld @ The Roxy

Up Your Karma! Feat. Rootbeer, Mozella, Shawn Hlookoff, Aidan Hawken @ The Viper Room

Rob Yamanoha, Tully Mackay-Tisbert, Maggie McClure, Laura Gossett, Blue Meridian @ The Viper Room Downstairs Lounge

Kittie, Soil, Arkaea, Straight Lines @ Key Club

Portable Payback featuring Soup & Marc7 from Jurassic 5 (EP RELEASE PARTY), Simple Citizens, DJ Smiles Davis @ The Mint

Bob Dylan & His Band @ Hollywood Palladium

Yo La Tengo @ Avalon

David Garrett @ El Rey Theater

The Jesus Lizard, Model/Actress, Black Elk @ The Music Box at Henry Fonda

The Streets, Gift of Gab (Blackalicious), Mickey Factz @ Club Nokia

Sole, Astronatualis, Awol One @ Knitting Factory (Main)

The Phenomenauts, Go Jimmy Go, Telecasters @ Knitting Factory (Front)

Hung Like Jesus, No Second Thought, Kat Bailess @ Knitting Factory (Alterknit)

Joel Ryan & Katie Costello, Astrella Celeste, Leslie & The Badgers, Band of Annuals @ Hotel Cafe

The Ivy Walls, Robotanists @ Silverlake Lounge

Los Premios MTV 2009 @ Gibson Amphitheatre

Alex Pfender, New West & Cassie Peterson, Knee High, King Washington @ Molly Malones

White Buffalo, Handsome G, Mat Grundy @ Detroit Bar

Jack Wilson Jr., Seth Petterson and the Undertow, Tall Tales and the Silver Linings, Stephanie Rearick, Nattlesnake @ Echo Curio

The After Party Show, Whiteboy Comedy Showcase @ Room 5

Athena Marie, Ena Vie, Laura Zucker, Zach Lupetin & The Dustbowl Revival @ Genghis Cohen

Legendary Blues Revue feat. Tommy Castro, Debbie Davies @ Saint Rocke

Buju Banton @ Tatou

Steve Tyrell @ Catalina Bar & Grill

Whodini, Naughty By Nature @ Nokia Theater L.A. Live

All That Remains, Lacuna Coil @ HOB – Sunset STrip

Shaimus @ Lighthouse

Blue Turtle Seduction, Groove Session @ Rhyhtm Lounge

Cubensis @ Air Conditiouned Lounge

Monday's Shows - We're Seeing HEY CHAMP!

Check out the listing of today's shows around greater Los Angeles. It's Monday, so lots of stop will be free...but its not a Hunnypot Monday, so I won't necessarily be at Funkmosphere.

I'm planning on swinging down Sunset and stopping in the Viper Room to check out Chicago's Hey Champ. The synthy pop production team has a handful of gems in their repertoire and I hear their drummer is pretty good live. Come break it down with me and some other SUPERGOOD people on the historic venue's dance floor.

Otherwise, maybe check out Correatown at Echo...

MONDAY OCTOBER 12th

KROQ Presents: Light FM, Kav, Obi Best, Wrong Way Driver @ Spaceland (FREE)

Correatown, Square on Square, Summer Darling, The Rhone Occupation @ Echo (FREE)

Fishtank Ensemble, Brass Menazeri, The Shipil @ Echoplex

Bell X1, Family of the Year @ Troubadour

Hey Champ, St Leonards, Aloft in the Sundry, Town Hall Steps, Kate Miller Heidke @ The Viper Room

Steel Panther, Diamond Lane, Analog Smith, Uriah @ Key Club

Vieux Carre Mondays featuring Kevin O’Day Band & DJ Quikie Mart @ The Mint (FREE)

Great Lake Swimmers, The Wooden Birds, Laura Gibson @ El Rey Theater

All Shall Perish @ Whisky A Go Go

Lady Katherine @ The Cat Club

Marianne Dissard, Andrew Colberg, The Smart Set @ Hotel Café

Jonneine Zapata, Ruby Friedman Orchestra, Sissy Wish, Fim @ Silverlake Lounge

Fran Healy and Andy Dunlop (from Travis) @ Largo

Mitch Allan and Guests @ Molly Malones

Whitman, Sex Worker, Clark 8, Psychic Reality @ Pehrspace

The Fling, Deep Sea Diver, Tape Deck Mountain @ Detroit Bar

These Arms Are Snakes, DD/MM/YYYY, Signals, Moment Trigger @ The Smell

Joel Eckels, Lelia Broussard, Greg Holden, Mike Vitale, Mike Freas @ Room 5 Lounge

Hyim, Meaghan Smith, Toe Knee @ Genghis Cohen

Funkmosphere @ Carbon

The Weekend

After a great midweek run of great shows featuring rising artists (Miike Snow/Jack Penate on Tuesday at Detroit Bar; Foster & The People, Odd Modern and Magic on Wax by Schpilkas at Dakota Lounge on Wednesday and Kesha and Brother Reade last night at Echo), SUPERGOODMUSIC is getting back to their funky roots this weekend.

Both Friday and Saturday, you will find me wilding out in my sweet feet on the Mint's dance-floor. Hard to miss the opportunity to see some of the finest in funk - and by that I mean, Leo Nocentelli of the Funky Meters, Stanton Moore of Galactic and Karl Denson of The Greyboy All-Stars.

Tonight, Leo and Stanton grace the stage for a performance they are calling "The Funky Meters Experience." DJ Rome will be opening at 8 pm, but the bayou stomp probably won't start until a little bit after that. I'd expect the Experience to play mostly Meters classics, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear a few other New Orleans flavored grooves, including some Galactic. All I 'm asking for is a "Trick Bag", and then my night will be set. That...and of course, Mr. Moore standing up behind the drums and beating them to shit.

Tomorrow, the sax funk doctor himself, Karl Denson will be going into new realms with his Tiny Universe. Amidst their reunion tour, after having been on hiatus for a few years, KDTU will most likely sell the place out AND crush the show. I'm excited because I've heard they've got some new material that features even strong vocals than their last work on The Bridge (if you remember, The Bridge showcased a much improved concentration on vocals - especially on songs like "Because of Her Beauty" and "Groove On"). If the new work is anything like some of my favorites from The Bridge, this new album will undoubtedly be in my heavy rotation. In addition to it being a reunion of an exceptional band, guitarist Brian Jordan, a former West LA resident, will be making his return to former stomping grounds of his (he frequented The Mint when he lived here). DJ Medi4 opens. BUY YOUR TIX IN ADVANCE AT THE MINT WEBSITE HERE - http://www.themintla.com/