Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Bleached/Japandroids at the Fonda Theater

JAPANDROIDS
BLEACHED
FONDA THEATER, LA
08 NOVEMBER, 2012
L.A.'s Bleached is no stranger to these pages, having opened up for Veronica Falls earlier in the year.  This go-round saw them share the bill with Japandroids, from Vancouver, for a feisty night of noise.  For my take on the Japandroids set, check the Owl Magazine.  Photos and video of Japandroids follow Bleached.
The Clavin sisters, Jennifer and Jessica, formed Bleached in the wake of their previous band Mika Miko dissolving, and it has been a slow and satisfying build.  After a handful of singles, a full album is on the horizon for next spring on Dead Oceans, and it should push the band's profile considerably.  They've been working hard on the road, and it certainly shows.  Their Ramones cum Shangri-La's attack is well honed at this point, and it will be interesting to see how they've grown in the studio.
They didn't seem fazed at all by the big stage, rising to the occasion with a set that featured a few new songs, and touched on their cornerstones: the singles, especially a rousing version of "Searching Through The Past", and the obligatory (and always welcome) Ramones cover.  It was short, but sweet, and I look forward to the not-too distant future, when Bleached will be the headliner.


(JAPANDROIDS)


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

A Word On Behalf Of The Henry Miller Library

Peaking Lights, Woodsist 2012, Henry Miller Library, Big Sur
 One of the divine spots on the Central Coast of California, the Henry Miller Library is a familiar name to anyone who's spent a chunk of time on these pages.  It's a special place, just off Highway One in Big Sur.  A tall order to get to, but one that repays the effort in spades.  Over the years I've had the pleasure of many and varied shows there, and on those occasions when the Library needs the public to step up, (i.e. the new stage!), you can always count me in.  These days the stakes are a bit higher, and at this point I'll defer to someone far more eloquent:
 
Greetings from Big Sur!  This is Magnus Toren, Executive Director of the Library.
It wasn't too long ago that you joined us in Big Sur for an incredible night of music, mystery, and magic.  I would personally like to thank you for making the trip; we exist as a venue thanks to people like you.
But the reason I'm writing is that this existence is, well... somewhat in doubt.  

As you may have heard, we need to upgrade our water and bathroom facilities to meet country standards and ADA compliance.  Failure to comply means we may no longer have events like the one you enjoyed.
Thankfully, there's good news.  We're getting additional help from Monterey County Gives, a local fundraising campaign.  This is where you come in.
Monterey County Gives will partially-match any donation made to the Library until Dec. 31st.  Better yet, you can get great rewards for donating, like free tickets, books, t-shirts, and more.  (Rewards expire on the 31st!)
So with that in mind, I'd ask you to please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Library.  Any bit helps - even $5! - and your donation's impact will be immediate: it will help build a sustainable future for the Library.
Click here to see the rewards: http://www.henrymiller.org/donate-2/
Click here to donate:  https://www.montereycountygives.com/Donate.aspx
And click here to read a blog about this, which you can forward to your friends!   http://www.henrymiller.org/are-you-35-or-younger-then-your-donation-to-the-henry-miller-library-is-extra-important/
From all of us at the Library, thank you for your continued support and happy holidays!
Sincerely,

Magnus Toren

Executive Director
Henry Miller Memorial Library
www.henrymiller.org


Here's some memorable moments from the past:







 

Monday, November 26, 2012

Block Party! (Sights and Sounds)

NEW NOISE BLOCK PARTY
THE FUNK ZONE, SANTA BARBARA
10 NOVEMBER, 2012
young man showing style at the Block Party...
The New Noise Santa Barbara music conference moved further downtown to headquarter at the Savoy.  Nearby, in the artist-heavy Funk Zone, they cordoned off some streets to have a good old fashioned block party.  Rocking the indian summer Saturday afternoon were: So Many Wizards (Long Beach), Sisu (LA),  Little Owl (Santa Barbara), Y La Bamba (Portland), and headlining the proceedings was Santa Barbara's own Gardens and Villa.  It's a great addition to the multitude of evening shows, and a nice all-ages alternative that speaks to one of the prime missions of the New Noise Organization.
So Many Wizards
So Many Wizards


SISU
SISU
SISU
SISU
SISU
SISU
SISU
SISU

Little Owl
Little Owl
Little Owl
Little Owl
Little Owl


Y La Bamba
Y La Bamba
Y La Bamba
Y La Bamba
Y La Bamba
Y La Bamba

Gardens and Villa
Gardens and Villa
Gardens and Villa
Gardens and Villa
Gardens and Villa

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Jens Comes Alive...

JENS LEKMAN
FONDA THEATRE
06 NOVEMBER, 2012
Jens Lekman scaled up for the Fonda Theater, bringing back a full band.  Last time out, he appeared with just a drummer, doing an intimate evening of the songs that would form the spine of his newest LP, I Know What Love Isn't. The new work is a focused look at the dissolution of a relationship, and stands as Lekman's most accomplished work, transitioning him from a short story writer to a novelist, as it were.  His unstinting eye for detail has always been his forte, and it only gets sharper as time goes on.  His band set the mood with a beautiful instrumental take on "Every Little Hair Knows Your Name", then Jens joined the action for "I Don't Know What To Do With This Information", going on to include another new song, "Golden Key", that he's been doing for the last few tours



When the mood tended to get too heavy, Jens dropped in chestnuts from the past, inciting a full-out Fonda dance party with "Sipping On The Sweet Nectar" and "Sweet Summer's Night On Hammer Hill".  His best loved set pieces, "Black Cab" and "Postcard To Nina" made appearances late in the set to enthusiastic approval, and Victoria Bergsman, (ex Concretes), came back out to aid on a cover of Neil Young's "Lotta Love", drawing more directly from Nicolette Larson's version.  Jens reached deep for the encore, essaying "A Pocketful Of Money", engaging the audience to carry the vocal part that was a Calvin Johnson sample in the original, which they did with gusto.  Coming back alone, Jens closed the evening with an acoustic rendition of "Every Little Hair Knows Your Name", bringing the perfect circle to a close.
Support for the evening was provided by The Big Search from LA, and Victoria Bergsman's project, Taken By Trees.