Online Quarantine Sets: Version 98

I am slowly approaching 100 of these online quarantine set reports. Let's hope I stop at or around 100. As can be seen via my recent quarantine reports, my favorite 2021 hangout is School Night. This past Monday night, Cannons opened it up with a, "Hey we're Cannons." Then they went into their set, starting out with some distorted sounds before settling into their dreamy pop music. Their guitar and bass playing has a haunting hypnotic tone. Their set was recorded at The Bourbon Room, which they mentioned was supposed to be the set for the Rock of Ages play. The play was shut down due to the start of COVID-19. The Bourbon Room had the red lights flooding the stage -- such anti-photographer light.

Cannons

Up next was the band Gilligan Moss. My first thought was: this is going to be interesting. They recorded their set out in nature (someone's back yard, maybe). There was a bird feeder above the band, hanging from a tree branch. One wore a fisherman's hat. They played on a rug while sitting on two wooden chairs. My second thought was: this is a real artsy sound. Then to make it even more interesting, a couple dogs came over and then ran off and then came back into view again. Their music reminded me of Mickey Hart's (drummer for the Grateful Dead) solo work.

Gilligan Moss

Valentina Cy closed it out with a true live set. She had a most enthusiastic personality as she talked to host Chris Douridas. Then when she started to sing I (along with many others in the chat) were blown away, "Where did that voice come from?" There was a blues quality to her voice with a light touch on the guitar. For one song, she had a friend snapping their fingers off stage to keep the beat. 

What did I notice: she wore red / white boots that had a cowboy circus quality to them.

What did I notice next: She mentioned during her Q&A that people used to think she had a chipmunk high voice and that she worked hard to lower her voice. This sort of explains why many of us were saying, "Where did the voice come from?"

Valentina Cy

New Music Alert: The Paranoyds' "Hotel Celebrity"

The Paranoyds' have a new release in the song "Hotel Celebrity." The video and lyrics has the band messing with celebrity culture. We toast to celebrities who are turning their bodies into fake idols. Botox. Suction lips. White teeth. Needles. Operation tables. Tanning. All that makes brief or extended appearances in the video. This all against the backdrop of their psychedelic punk that has made them a favorite Los Angeles band over the last three plus years. 

Photo taken during Happy Sundays Long Beach

Los Angeles Music Scene: Funds Still Not Leaving Washington DC

Save Out Stages funding was supposed to go out the door last week, but it looks like we're having more delays -- which is a constant story for this funding. Variety (May 24) reports:

Considering the speed with which PPP loans were sent out, and restaurants recently received aid, the delay is confounding, although the SBA says those processes were different for a variety of reasons.

The article later mentions that those funds were sent out within days.

One venue operator says in a comment to Variety: “The SBA opened the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant applications one month ago today. They haven’t processed one application yet. And this morning, the SBA sent out emails to SVOG applicants, including me, saying, ‘Our records indicate you have started an application that has not been completed or submitted.’ My application has shown as ‘Submitted’ on the SBA’s web portal, with zero ‘Action Items’ since April 26th.”

Well, that's no good. On the other hand, I really have to suspect that lenders or renters will be lenient with venues. Why would you walk away from getting over a year of back payments? I think there just needs to be some patience. Of course, patience will run thin if this continues for a month or two. 

Now KCRW reported that many Los Angeles venues don't anticipate opening up until late summer or early fall. I suspect that might apply to the mid-size venues that are dependent on touring bands like The Troubadour or Zebulon. I've noticed that the Resident has an event scheduled for mid-June while Hotel Café is promising early July. 

New Music Alert: Dream Phases' "Helen Highway"

Dream Phases is out with a new video for their song "Helen Highway." Lyrics go:

So you were proud / of a simple life / complication proof / overjoyed by / rain in your eyes / your smile shines through . . . / now you are bored / what will you do / all your friends are asleep / count the stars/ name each one / someone you'd like to be . . .

Does it speak to the idea that life should be complex? Not exactly. The video starts with a vehicle calmly going through up a curved road. Then it switches to Helen who texts with a significant other about a party and is looking into plastic surgery. Then an e-mail arrives, she is being let go from her job. Later that day, a text from the significant other saying that the relationship is over. Dream Phases takes you on a psychedelic rock ride through the ups and downs of life and having to redefine your self at unexpected moments.    

Photo taken at The Echo

Quick Hit Band Interview: Foxx Bodies

Photo taken at Sun Space

Interview with the band (via Bailey). Enjoy:

What's the story behind how the band started? We started as a therapy session and accidentally turned into a band. Our singer Bella was in the midst of turning in her rapist so we all began jamming on some punk music as a cathartic release. Word got around that we had been playing music and next thing we knew people were asked to play a proper show. We put together what we had from our jam sessions and became a band. 

Where is your favorite spot to write music? And why the spot? I think our favorite spot will always be our original home in Tucson where we wrote all of our original songs. It's just a sentimental place.

Online Quarantine Sets: Version 97

A Monday night and a Wednesday night and it was a School Night for me. Monday started after a lengthy delay. There were technical difficulties that reminded me of the first School Night. I wasn't the only one. A joke was made in the chat about Bevan who hosted the first School Night of 2021 and had to deal with serious technical issues. When the Internet issues were resolved, Elissa Mielke's video played. Her chords had just a touch of the discordant while her vocals had a Bonnie Raitt quality. Her set also included backup vocals that gave the set an Enya touch. 

Elissa Mielke

Fan Club Wallet came on from Canada. Elissa Mielke also is from Canada though she lives in Los Angeles. They played their set on a baseball field. Their music had an 80s indie rock feel. They were a two piece band that intertwined the breezy with garage rock. Another song had a party sound to it that included the recorded sounds of a vocal group as the two piece sang, "C'mom Be Cool." Moment of the pre-recorded set was when the lead singer wished she had some water. The drummer pointed out that there was some water just out of reach, but she declined to grab it due to all the wires that surrounded her. It was mentioned during the interview that Canada is still in lockdown.

Fan Club Wallet

Jayo came up next. He only had one song, but it was a witty song. The song combined comedy with a mix of pop and RnB. And a love for the "hoodie." That song also has some catchy hooks. During the interview section, it was mentioned that he was once a substitute teacher. 

Jayo

ONR closed out the night. It was a repeat performance from one of my favorite sets from 2020. Just beautiful Scottish music that reminded me of the British Wave that hit the United States in the 80s. 

ONR

On Wednesday, I was very eager to catch Francisca Valenzuela, but as happens every so often -- work interfered. Someone decided to call me up after 6 p.m. Shouldn't that be against the law especially when I'm waiting to watch Francisca Valenzuela? Luckily, I was able to catch her final pre-recorded song as well as a video follow-up of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt." Just a touch of her set, but so worth it.

Francisca Valenzuela

Los Angeles Music Scene: when might venues re-open?

A couple weeks ago it looked like the Los Angeles music scene was starting to roar back to life. I noted that WFNM and Wild Riot (event planners) were planning to return to the scene. Now I love those entities and I'm happy they're returning, but we might need to wait into late summer before all our local venues re-open. KCRW (May 17) has the following:

Though some larger, outdoor venues, such as the Hollywood Bowl, will see concerts return as soon as this month, indoor music clubs say they likely won’t return in earnest until late summer or fall as they navigate a complex ecosystem of safety regulations, financial constraints, and touring schedules.

We know that California is targeting June 15th to re-open so why does it sound like local venues won't be opening up until August or September?    

. . . So while smaller indoor venues technically can reopen as soon as next month, and some have already begun booking local shows for summer, most say it doesn’t make sense to do so until they can confidently and safely operate without regulations that might impede business as usual.

“Our product, our business model, completely hinges on being open seven nights a week, having multiple bands for a night,” [Duncan Smith, booker for the Moroccan Lounge] says. “It's a volume business for us . . . so we're not going to reopen even if it's legal on June 15, until we're confident that we can do seven nights a week of shows.”

I decided to scan some venue websites to see what was on their schedules. The Troubadour currently has their first concert set for August 28th. The Echo's first show is currently Aug 20th. The Moroccan Lounge has something scheduled for July 9th, but who knows if that is real as that night has been on the calendar for months. Hotel Cafe is targeting July 9th. The Bootleg Theater, Harvard & Stone, Silverlake Lounge, The Smell and Zebulon don't have anything booked during those months as far as I can tell. I'm ignoring slightly larger venues such as the Lodge Room and Telagram Ballroom that are more tailored towards touring bands vs local bands.

Now there is also the need for funding via Save Our Stages that will help open up the venue doors. Luckily, money is being distributed this week (I say this week as the below quote was from last week). Now not all venues will be immediately getting their cash next week, but it is a hopeful sign that funding is starting to flow.

Billboard (May 5) reports:

Two weeks after the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) portal successfully reopened, officials at the Small Business Administration say that the first round of awards will be distributed next week.

New Music Alert: Warbly Jets' "NASA"

I still remember Warbly Jets' The Satellite Residency back in January 2017. I went to two of their nights. The Satellite was just packed. This music video captures the joy and wildness of their residency. You have the band singing to the camera in a white room that quickly turns into a party seen filled with people. The white room shifts to a disco dance floor. The music has a pulsating dance club sound that will keep a house party going. 

The lyrics get you thinking, "Right on time We’re electrified Like spirits in the static We’ve been under the lights Oh my my From earth to the sky We keep on falling like we’re learning to fly." There is just something thrilling there. Electrified. From earth to sky. And yet it ends with "We keep on falling like we're learning to fly." What exactly is meant here. Flying makes us think of birds soaring above or Superman coming in to save the day. Yet falling, who wants to fall. Perhaps the point is that failing is something we need to learn to live with and that we should keep going on with life, finding it electrified, even if we're met with failure all the time.

Photo taken at the Bootleg Theater

New Music Alert: Dirty Cakes' "Make Love"

 

Dirty Cakes' lead singer Charley is the main MC for Bands in a Barbershop. You'll often see him on stage telling the audience to be nice to the photographers. 

The band has a new song out called "Make Love." Spend two minutes and 4 seconds listening to this song and you'll be making dirty love. The song drives forward with beating rock sounds. As can be seen in the video, it'll even have cute stick figures in the park making love. 

 

Photo take at Echo Park Rising,
Bands in a Barbershop stage. 
Shot for Buzzbands

Online Quarantine Sets: Version 96

The reason I wanted to catch School Night this past Monday night was because Sad Alex was hitting the stage. I previously saw a short live set at the geometro party back in early 2020. It was one of the last times I went out to catch music (not the last, but close enough). Then going through my photos recently, I came across a photo I had taken of her. I decided to see if there was any new releases and was lucky enough to see that there was a release out called "California Queen." It is a tender pop song filled with wistful vocals. Her School Night pre-recorded set was done out on her Glassell Park home's patio. There was a wood fencing and shades hanging to keep out the sun. The patio was filled with green plants. Her pre-recorded set was only two songs, but she started off with "California Queen." Then she dug a knife deep into the backs of two individuals with the song "I'm Glad You Found Someone." It sounds like a song that deals with a friendly break-up, but no, it is a song that goes viciously after both the ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. During her live Twitch interview she played an additional song live called "Out of Focus."

Sad Alex

Lionel Boy came up next from Long Beach. His pre-recorded set had some cool pop vibes. The melodies had this floating feather in a calm wind quality. Add in the fact that he grew up in Hawaii and you get some sun kisses from up high. I got to give props to the flautist who gave the melodies additional beauty.

Lionel Boy

Ural Thomas and the Pain closed out the night for me, coming in from Portland. His music took the Blues sound into a cheerful direction. His back-up band carried the best melody vocals. 

What I noticed: the room they played in was in all white -- floor and walls. Ural was dressed in white. His band was mostly dressed in black or other dark colors. It made for an interesting contrast of two basic colors.

Ural Thomas and the Pain

Los Angeles Music Scene: Live Nation reports Q1 2021 results

Considering that the Los Angeles music scene should be up and running by mid-June, this might be my final look at the financials of Live Nation. The reason I've been doing quarterly reviews such as Q4 2020 is that Live Nation owns The Echo and so I felt it was important to keep an eye on how they were doing financially. By financially, I don't mean their P&L, but their cash flow as I figure that is the more important metric during this time of limited concerts and therefore revenue.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Here's what their Q1 2021 earnings call had to say about their cash position:

Looking at free cash and liquidity, we ended the first quarter with $1.1 billion in free cash, compared to $643 million at the end of 2020, an increase of $462 million. Our free cash, along with $964 million of available debt capacity gives us $2.1 billion in readily available liquidity, up from $1.6 billion at the end of 2020. Benefiting our free cash position in January, we raised $417 million of net debt and we had a $181 million timing benefit, largely associated with deferred revenue classification.

Our total free cash usage in the quarter was $136 million, or $45 million per month, which included $100 million per month of average operational burn, roughly in line with Q4, plus another $4 million per month of non-operational cash costs to get us to $104 million average per month and gross burn. This gross burn includes the benefits we realized from the sale of a non-strategic minority investment and timing on interest payments and severance costs. In Q1, we had $59 million average cash contribution margin per month, roughly 50% higher CM than we averaged in Q4.

They ended Q4 with 643 million in free cash, but really it was $1.1 billion as they issued debt in early January. When they included debt capacity, they were at $2 billion. Now their free cash plus debt capacity gets them to $2.1 billion. Basically, they ended Q1 2021 in the same position as Q4 2020 (adjusted for their early January debt issuance).

How were they able to keep cash basically flat? It looks like they had some one time benefits. Their non-operational cash costs dropped from $44 million per month in Q4'20 to just $4 million per month in Q1'21. The significant drop was driven by sale of an investment, interest and severance payments (that I'd assume would occur in Q2'21 instead). This led to total free cash usage of $136 million, which reduced their free cash. This was off-set by another timing benefit that allowed them to shift $181 million of deferred revenue into the free cash column. 

So $136 million in cash used during the quarter was off-set by adding $181 million into the free cash column resulting in basically no cash usage for the quarter.

There are a couple cash questions that pop up to me.

First, how much cash did they use for the purchase of VEEPS -- a question I had set aside from their Q4'20 financial results? Second, why did they decide they could change the classification of deferred revenue?

In terms of VEEPS, there was a question asked by Morgan Stanley. It looks like they are looking to use VEEPS to make additional money from their music festivals. They specifically mention Lollapalooza at a price point of $49 (just a tossed out idea, not that this will be the price).

There was no indication of how much they paid for VEEPS, but in their 10-Q they say the following:

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, we used $32.5 million of cash primarily for the acquisitions of a festival promotion business and a venue management business, both located in the United States.

Okay, basically, the purchase of VEEPS wouldn't have had much of an impact on their free cash position, which makes me wonder what other plans they have in mind for the $425 billion that they raised in January? Are we going to see Live Nation buying up destressed venue assets? Or will this cash be used to survive until Q3'21?

They have this little tidbit about deferred revenue:

For events that have been cancelled as of March 31, 2021, the deferred revenue has been reclassified to accrued expenses on our consolidated balance sheets where not already refunded to the fan.

So I'm guessing that the $181 million benefit for deferred revenue is just a timing issue of getting refunds back into the pockets of music fans. I have a suspicion that their Q2'21 free cash will drop by over $500 million off-set by any cash received via any the restart of music concerts (which based on what I write below won't be that much).  

Interestingly, their deferred revenue is $1.8 billion so does this imply that about 10% of concerts are getting pushed off? Does that lend any credence to my post that bands are starting to delay their tours until 2022? That question brings up the next topic regarding the return of live music.

RETURN OF LIVE MUSIC

In the US, Bonnaroo, Electric Daisy and Rolling Loud festivals all sold out in record times at full capacity. In the UK, we have 11 festivals planned this summer, including our largest ones Reading, Leeds and Parklife where tickets are already sold out. New Zealand, the country's largest festival, Rhythm and Vines quickly sold out. And as we get further clarity on reopening timelines, we are announcing more tours for late this summer, including Dave Matthews, Luke Bryan, Maroon 5 and others to come, showing artists' increasing confidence in performing this summer.

. . . We have lots of great conversations with probably every artist you can imagine, talking about when they're going to be back on the road. And artist typically tours once every three years on a cycle, so we're kind of condensing 2021 and '22. So the good news is we've got incredible supply and now we're just sorting through what makes sense to go out in '20 -- at the end of '21 still -- into '22, and some artists were talking about moving into '23. So I would say, the artists are patient and they're smart in terms of what their cycle is predicting, maybe they have a record coming out in the fall, maybe it's in Q1. So right now, we have a great supply. We don't have any issues in terms of availability.

If I'm doing my Internet search correctly, the first U.S. music festival on the slate is the Rolling Loud festival with a July 23 - 25 date. Also doing an Internet search, all the UK and New Zealand festivals also have Q3 and Q4 start dates. 

Note that in their Q4'21 call, they used the term mid-summer and here they're saying "late this summer." Wonder if things are starting a month or so later than was expected back in February? Anyways, that just putting a negative spin on things when in fact it looks like we're up and running starting in Q3'21.

New Music Alert: JAAG's Tenacity

JAAG has a new song called :Tenacity.: What catches your attention is the dynamic range that occurs in this 3 minute and 32 second song. At one moment, you're hearing Southern rock that transition to gospel for just a brief second before heading into beat poetry. It then explodes into a cacophony of fireworks. The music and vocals capture your attention and never lets go.

Lyrics highlight: "Is there a fate I can't escape, holding me fast in the fire I wait." Do we have self-determination or are we destined to be molded for a certain purpose? Or perhaps we're driven in a specific direction and we just build our talents until that moment arrives?

Per his biography, JAAG is Jeremiah Gray from Newbury Park, CA. He studied classical voice and theory at Moorpark College and has a BA in Music Composition and Production from California Lutheran University. Those vocal courses definitely shine through in "Tenacity."

Online Quarantine Sets: Version 95

Ruby Fields hit the virtual School Night stage recently. It was recorded before not just a live audience of a few close friends, but inside an Australian venue. Yes, this will soon be happening in Los Angeles come around June 15th. As mentioned previously, the return of live music is already being planned out in Los Angeles. We only need to remain jealous for just so much longer. It was just fun watching a band freely playing across a stage. The bass player spent time playing it up with the drummer. The guitarist took in the vibrations in front of his amp. The vocal strained just a touch. The crowd was cheering between songs. And the video quality was just a touch grainy to give it that old school hand held video feel.

Ruby Fields

 

S.G. Goodman was up next from Kentucky. She was playing in her living room. Her window blinds were open so one could see cars driving past. And there was a decorative metal Christmas tree by the fire place. Wait, what? The video had been done months ago and School Night had just aired it.

Her vocals had that Kentucky accent and worked well with her folk country sound. Her song "Milk and Honey" had the following lyrics, "Don't call me honey, it don't change nothing when you say it." She sang those lyrics with patience to let the words' impact hit the audience with her sorrow and pain. 

S.G. Goodman

Haiva Ru closed out the night for me. It was actually a repeat showing from 2020. Yet, I had to watch it, because I loved the set so much. And then, okay, I was fooled big time in 2020 by that taped video. How? I had no idea back when I first saw the video that she played all the instruments: guitar, bass, keys and drums. I'm just not sure how folks are able to do this. I mean, how do you make sure you're starting to sing at just the right moment. I guess videos can be delayed and such to align things up, but then you have to sing and play at the same pace throughout the song. This is just something I'd never be able to do. Well, I guess that's why they're talented musicians and I'm not.

Haiva Ru

Los Angeles Music Scene: signs that we're at the end of the tunnel?

The target date for re-opening California is June 15th. Now we're starting to see the Los Angeles music industry starting to plan for the near future. 

First up, We Found New Music (WFNM) is targeting a June re-start of their weekly showcases. Based on the tag, they're looking to start at Bar Lubitsch. I suppose the next question is: will WFNM eventually start back up at Madame Siam.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by WE FOUND NEW MUSIC (@wfnm)

Wild Riot is targeting a return to El Cid starting in July. I'm assuming it'll be their Sunday afternoon timeslot though no details were provided on that front, but they did mention their $10 tattoo specials.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by W I L D R I O T (@wearewildriot)

And Ariel Beesley is targeting a July 9th show at Junior High to benefit her nonprofit U Start Here. Junior High is walking distance from where I live so I might just walk to that show.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ariel Beesley (@arielbees)

Will we soon start seeing calendars getting posted at the Bootleg Theater, Hotel Café and Zebulon - to just name a few? 

New Music Alert: Nick Waterhouse's "Place Names"

Nick Waterhouse is out with a new song called "Place Names." The song starts off with this blend of Frank Sinatra and Twin Peaks. The music goes with a steady beat that seldom adjusts. Layered atop the beat the band members mix it up across the musical measures.   

The song appears to start out about a moment at San Francisco, by Lombard Gate. He walks around the city. At one moment, he passes a book store. This is something Nick Waterhouse loves to do even if the weather is dreary. "Never cry on cold days," he sings. Who can blame him? Sometimes it is lovely just to walk around city streets.  

Open Arts & Music Festival 
(shot for Buzzbands)

New Video Alert: The Knitts' "Dimensions"

The Knitts have a new song called "Dimensions." I'm the worst when it comes to science, but according to a Google search, string theory believes there are 10 dimensions. The song asks, "When does my luck start to change, something won't let me keep sane?" or "How will I know your face, when we go to that resting place?" I'm not sure the song provides any answers other than to say that it will eventually all get settled out once we head to the heavens. Perhaps that is the best that we can know as humans.

The video has the band playing the song, having their garage rock fun. Band members are playing behind crystalized images and their images being shown in triplicate. Heads are seen bobbing throughout the video. Why not? Even if the answers are hard to fine, that doesn't mean you can't have fun.

photo taken at House of Machines