L.A. BURNING: WEST COAST CONCERT PICKS, May 8th TO May 14th, 2017

Holy Wars at the Hi Hat

A lot of shows this week, which starts with a lot of Monday residencies… how am I supposed to choose?

On Monday 8th, you will have to decide between 5 different places that offer free shows:

Rafferty, Kid Wave, On Planets, Bay Ledges are at Bardot for another edition of it’s a School Night. I only know about Swedish via LA band Kid Wave, which can produce scorching riffs with fuzzy guitars and dreamy textures without forgetting about poppy hooks, plus the weekly show has also started an Orange County edition on Tuesdays, and Kid Wave is playing that one too.

At the Bootleg Theater, Calvin Love starts his residency with Maxim Ludwig, Deep Fields, and Glances. I want to check him out this month as I remember seeing this Canadian with a punk background years ago, and his sound at the time (a wild blues-rock energy which exploded ferociously in total rebellion) was fascinating.

At the Echo, Barrows starts his month residency with QunQ, Facial, Moaning… once again, I only know Moaning whose members used to be in the defunct local punk band Moses Campbell, and they play powerful sweeping rock songs with lots of confidence, a morose tone, and a Dinosaur Jr-size fuzz.

And since this night is all about choices, Midnight Divide, Madus play at Harvard & Stone with Holy Wars, which is a completely mesmerizing new LA act. I have already seen them 3 times so far, and they are a must see!

Lastly, the Satellite has another residency with the Diamond Light, Down and Outlaws, and EasyFriend… too much music for one night for sure.

On Tuesday 9th, the Flaming Lips and Klangstof are at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel… I am not sure what they are up to, I have seen these crazy Oklahoma boys a few times but I doubt Wayne is still using his giant transparent hamster ball these days, so the fun is a bit gone.

Barns Courtney play at the El Rey theatre and if his song ‘Fire’ has 11 million streams on Spotify, I also recommend the opening band Foxtrax’s big uplifts and bloating enthusiastic sound, their frontman has the force of a young Springsteen and Chris Martin’s physique.

On Wednesday 10th, you could be one of the first persons to see the new Lady Gaga, ‘A Star Is Born’ at the Regent! The movie directed by Bradley Cooper is a remake of another remake, and all proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to Gaga’s the Born This Way Foundation.

Also on Wednesday, Le Butcherettes is warming up for her big show at the Shrine on Saturday, with a more intimate gig at the Alex’s Bar in Long Beach, and if it wasn’t on a Wednesday night, I would certainly drive down the 405 freeway.

Lastly, soulful country singer Tift Merritt and the Suitcase Junket play at the Bootleg Theater.

On Thursday 11th, Magic Wands, Geneva Jacuzzi, Glaare are at the Hi Hat, and for having seen Magic Wands a few times, I can be sure they will enchant you with their unique pop sound, a bit new wave, mostly upbeat, and often ethereal.

Grandaddy has unfortunately cancelled a show at the Fonda theater on Friday 12th following the tragic death of their bassist Kevin Garcia at 41, and this made me very sad. To cheer you up, you can opt for the wonderful PJ Harvey at the Greek Theatre the same night, I saw her last year with her nine-piece band and the 11 songs of ‘The Hope Six Demolition Project’, and her show was oscillating between apocalypse and undefeated hope.

On Saturday 13th, you will have a lot of choices once again:

The legendary ska-funk- punk-rock fusion Fishbone is playing at the Echoplex with Tabitha.

Conor Oberst and Julien Baker are sharing the Greek Theatre, and they seem to be a good team for an intimate night of sad music in a beautiful place.

Aimee Mann is back with a new record, ‘Mental illness’ and she is playing at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel. I have a soft spot for her since Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Magnolia. Jonathan Coulton is opening

Joke-y punk super group Me First & the Gimme Gimmes (featuring members of Foo Fighters, Lagwagon, NOFX and eventually Minor Threat and Bad religion… ) is at the Fonda Theatre, but honestly, I have seen together PANGEA too many times at the Echo and other places for not mentioning the show, it should be a lot of fun, and Kid Congo Powers & The Pink Monkey Birds are also supporting.

Post-hardcore-punk-emo band At The Drive-In is playing at the Shrine Expo Hall, but be sure to come early for Le Butcherettes, Teri Gender Bender is a force of nature and female empowering act, who always steals the show.

Thurston Moore Group plays at the Teragram Ballroom, if you are not too mad at the guy for cheating on Kim Gordon,… I know I am!

And, as if there wasn’t enough music that day, there is also a Mini Fest 2017 at the Forge, featuring a bunch of acts I have already seen like Blondfire, Trapdoor Social, and Ramonda Hammer, and a few more like The Yip Yops, Name The Band, The Knitts, Psychedellica, Detoure.

On Sunday, The Vacant Lots, Gateway Drugs, The Meeting Places are taking over the Echo for another edition of Part Time Punks. It’s a late late show, and it’s gonna be a night of dark psychedelia.

At the Echoplex, we have Acid Mothers Temple, Babylon, Flying Hair and out of the three I have only seen Babylon, which will certainly bring some heavy Zeppelin-to-Hendrix-inspired psychedelic rock & roll impregnated by proto-metal. So if this is the theme of the night, it’s gonna be loud and interesting.

At the Fonda Theater, Strange 80’s has a cool lineup featuring Tenacious D (Jack & Kyle), Weird Al Yankovic, Sarah Silverman, OK Go (members of), Anthrax (members of), Taking Back Sunday (members of), and many more… Hosted by Finn Wolfhard, star of Netflix smash ‘Stranger Things’, the show is a fundraising for Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, which helps provide financial assistance to musicians who are facing illness and disability. An excellent cause.