The Scenestar

Live: The Crystal Method @ Echoplex

ARTICLE BY JON BUCHANAN

NOV. 7 | ECHO PARK—It’s always a treat when Echoplex plays host to disproportionately massive guests, and without the impediment of a 50-yard buffer zone, the live experience of local boys The Crystal Method can hurt in a good way. Tonight, electronica giants Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland dropped by Echo Park, bringing their signature breakbeats for a very intimate discharge of sound and fury.

I certainly did not expect The Crystal Method to replicate the same onslaught from out in the desert last April at Coachella, but the friendly confines of the Echoplex have some very mysterious, motivational qualities. The show was a promotional appearance made possible by the good folks at Avid and their vast range of software and hardware designed to cater to today’s digital musician and continue to “fuel the creative explosion.” The venue was only at about half capacity for the sneaky, quarter-to-eight, invite-only performance. Nevertheless, the clearly well equipped duo’s horseshoe platforms, overflowing with technology, warned that things might get rowdy.

Live: Basement Jaxx @ Hard Fest

ARTICLE BY JOSEPH GARCIA

OCT. 31 | LOS ANGELES—Following a disappointing experience at Hard Summer that ended with being shepherded off the Los Angeles Forum property by the L.A. County riot squad, I wondered what would transpire tonight at Hard Haunted Mansion 2009 on Halloween. I knew the lineup was stacked, the venue was smaller, and we all learn from our mistakes, right? Last time the English duo Underworld came to take part, but this time, Basement Jaxx had traversed the Atlantic to bless our ears, and their latest album Scars would lend additional ammo to their audio arsenal.

Live: Land of Talk @ Spaceland

ARTICLE BY JONATHAN BUCHANAN

OCT. 29 | SILVER LAKE—It has been two years since Land of Talk last performed at Spaceland and one year since the Canadian trio released their first full length, the unabashedly candid Some Are Lakes. Creative focal point Elizabeth Powell was alluring as ever as she squealed and slashed her way through a relaxed set of her most signature material.

Hailing from Montreal, Powell has recently acquired the obligatory Broken Social Scene ties that have bolstered other, talented young women to much stateside success. Powell, however, is a very atypical indie siren, especially when lined up against her Canadian counterparts. There has been relatively little packaging or polishing of Powell or her music so far. Some Are Lakes was recorded under the auspices of the amazing Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, an artist with a recent fascination for creating music rich with despondency through minimalist recording techniques.

Photo Galleries: "Kia Soul Collective" @ Siren Studios

 
Photo by Leslie Kalohi

"Thanks for doing whatever it was you did to get here," quipped Silversun Pickups frontman Brian Aubert to enthusiastic fans at Siren Studios this past Sunday night.  What they did was take part in Kia Soul test drives for SSPU concert tickets as part of the Kia Soul Collective, a 3-day event which also included free musical performances from Diplo, Janelle Monae, and Fool's Gold. 

Fool's Gold impressed with their lush, tropical sounds on Saturday night, serving as a perfect opener that evening for fresh-faced hellcat (and Soul Collective co-curator), Janelle Monae.  The quirky Monae created a painting on stage, which she then tossed into the audience for a lucky fan to catch. 

Silversun Pickups closed out the very last night of the Kia Soul Collective on Sunday, plowing through tracks off Swoon and their breakthrough debut, Carnavas.  Although the band had made numerous local appearances throughout the week, the band didn't show any sign of fatigue or boredom on stage.  Aubert kept the tone light in between songs, even joking at one point that "We'll be playing a Carl's Jr. salad bar later on." 

Photos from the event can be viewed in the galleries below:

Photo Gallery: Janelle Monae w/Fool's Gold @ Siren Studios ("Kia Soul Collective"), November 7

Photo Gallery: Silversun Pickups @ Siren Studios ("Kia Soul Collective"), November 8

Live: Julian Casablancas @ Spaceland

ARTICLE BY OSCAR RANGEL
PHOTOS BY CHRIS ALVAREZ

NOV. 2 | SILVER LAKE—Just when you thought Monday was just like any other day, there’s buzz in the air about something big. Scenestar favorite Happy Hollows just returned to Los Angeles to start their November residency at Spaceland, and while updating the concert calendar for this addition, I noticed there was a subtle slot for a special guest. Usually it’s reserved for other local bands whom the residency band may be friends with. But the world of Twitter was hinting otherwise.

Live: Sunny Day Real Estate @ Music Box

ARTICLE BY CARLY DEVERY
PHOTOS BY DESMOND HSU

OCT. 11 | LOS ANGELES—“Epic” would be the only way to describe the show Seattle rockers Sunny Day Real Estate performed tonight at the Music Box at the Fonda. With rumors of a reunion tour being posted earlier this year, it was confirmed in June that indeed Sunny Day Real Estate would be touring with the original lineup. And it was especially exciting that the band would be stopping in California, having not toured here very much. Nine years after disbanding and 15 years after Diary was released, the sold-out venue tonight was packed with undeniable energy.

Photo Gallery: Monsters of Folk @ Greek Theatre

 
Photo by Leslie Kalohi

Once the red curtain parted at the Greek Theatre, revealing the members of Monsters of Folk (Conor Oberst, M Ward, Jim James and Mike Mogis) in suit and ties, the stage was set for an elegant night of music. The formality on stage seemed to affect the audience, as later in the night My Morning Jacket's Jim James thanked those in attendance for being so respectful at this evening of "folk."

With no opening act, the men of Monsters of Folk entertained for two and a half hours with songs from their recent self-titled debut album, as well as several selections from each established member's catalogs. The real treat was hearing new interpretations of these favorites, whether stripped down with minimal accompaniment or lushly layered with everyone contributing, giving the chance for each member to take turns on vocal duties. When the curtain closed, calling an end to the concert, those in attendance knew they experienced something truly unique and special.

Photos from the evening can be viewed in the gallery below:

Photo Gallery: Monsters of Folk @ Greek Theatre, October 18

Live: A Place To Bury Strangers @ Echoplex

ARTICLE BY SOPHIA PORTIER

OCT. 16 | ECHO PARK—Tonight at the Echoplex was a night full of the forlorn and frantic fire that is Brooklyn’s finest reverb-masters, A Place to Bury Strangers. Two words could sufficiently sum up the complexity of APTBS and its unique brand of indie-shoegaze pop-rock: beautiful noise.

Photo Gallery: Fever Ray @ Music Box

PHOTO BY CHRIS MOLINA

One might find it quite difficult to conjure up the words that best describe a Fever Ray concert. It might fall somewhere under Norse mythology crossed over with a suggestive tone from the film The Fifth Element—sandwiched together in a pagan ritual with scattered vintage lamps. Either way, Fever Ray performed one of the most memorable concerts to have passed through L.A. this year. A very amusing following decked out in costumes and face paint scattered throughout the sold-out Fonda to pay respects to pseudo high-priestess Karin Dreijer Andersson.

Live: Aimee Mann @ Campbell Hall

ARTICLE BY JOELLE WAGNER
PHOTO FROM AIMEEMANN.COM

OCT. 8 | SANTA BARBARA—Aimee Mann revealed tonight that in preparation for this tour, she listened to all of her old records and selected the tracks that she “actually liked.” Luckily there were a few! Aimee and her two band mates, Jamie Edwards and Jebin Bruni, graced the UC Santa Barbara campus at Campbell Hall in an evening of music from all corners of her career map. The first half of the concert consisted of her selected songs, and for the second half, she asked audience members to write down on a piece of paper anything they would like to hear.