Zebulon: Honey Child with Crook and Dove Armitage

Honey Child was celebrating the release of their "Starving Hearts" album. Claire McKeown fronts the band. I've followed her career since 2011 when I was covering the New Los Angeles Folk Festival and came across this band called Dirt Bird. I was just mesmerized by her operatic vocals. I also came across her in a band called Afternoons where she did the backing vocals. I came across that band in 2014. I then came across Honey Child back around 2016. 

With a 6 member choir and Claire McKeown wearing a black wig, the choir soothed the audience with tenderly sung tunes. There were two music stands on the stage, which I always love seeing. To me, it just indicates a music composition training. A variety of musical instruments were used during various parts of the set: flute, guitars, mini-piano and I believe a French horn (maybe I've got my horn instruments messed up there). 

Honey Child

Opening up the night was Crook. Now the band Crook is pulsating and ear popping. But when Daniel Crook does his solo sets, the music is soft and emotion. It can bring a tear to the eyes. Dove Armitage closed out the night. I don't know how many people in the audience were aware of who Dove Armitage is. Crook opened with his emotional take on life. Honey Child had the opera influence. And then Dove Armitage came out with her death goth look and bondage style. I loved it. I've followed Quincy for a number of years via Cat Scan and then Kevin. To me, it was a nice surprise end to the night, shake things up and send you home.

Dove Armitage

Crook

April Ends/May Begins: Local Music Blast - Part 2

For me, the Los Angeles music scene during the transition week between April and May was a real blast. This is part 2 of my adventures.

Tuesday night brought Lizzy Land at Madame Siam. This is an artist I've followed for a few years when she was in the band Mating Ritual. She calls her music experimental pop. That sounds good to me. Her sound reminds me of the sounds from IO Echo and CLARA-NOVA. I was just mesmerized throughout her 30 minute set. Backing her was one of the members from Mating Ritual. It is nice to know that they're all supporting each other.

Lizzy Land

Opening up that night was Savannah Sgro and YVR. Interesting notes is that Savannah Sgro was raised in Las Vegas. Moved to Nashville and now I'm assuming lives in Los Angeles. YVR is a recently married couple -- one could see the glow on their faces when that was mentioned.

Savannah Sgro

YVR

Wednesday night I took a break, but was back at it on Thursday night when I headed off to Zebulon to catch Ever So Android, Crook and Draemings. Interesting fact: I've interviewed all three bands.

Draemings stated they were debuting new music. I don't know. It didn't sound like it. The crowd loved every moment of the set. I loved every moment of the set. If this really is their new music, I have to believe they're going to gain a number of new fans. Okay, I have some "humorous" doubt on the new music claim, because it was all so brilliant. Noticed: Kimi set things off with her leopard imagery and had the crowd renaming the band KIMI!!! KIMI!!!

Comment of the set: We're debuting all new music tonight so hopefully you're not here for the hits.

Draemings

Ever So Android went from a 2-piece duo to a 4-piece band. This only expanded their punk sounds. The one disappointment is that they asked for the lights to be lowered (and the Zebulon already has low lights) and their own stage lights weren't operating properly, which meant my camera didn't have a lot of fun.

Ever So Android

I caught Daniel Crook as a solo artist at The Hi Hat and so this was my first time catching the full band. When you first see the band your eyes have to notice the fashion statement, but when the music hits you are pulled into an emotional vortex.

Crook

Friday closed out the music run. I got invited to an outdoor event called Shaken Vanity Block Party. On the first Monday of each month, businesses around the 500 block of Hoover Street apparently are given free range to do what they like. So one business has an outdoor music festival. I went down to catch Dirty Cakes and Speed of Light. Both bands rocked out their punk sounds. Dirty Cakes brought the punk sounds of experience. Speed of Light brought the punk sounds of youthful exuberance. Both bands are fixtures at the monthly/bi-monthly shows that are hosted by The Satellite at the American Barbershop in Echo Park.

Dirty Cakes

Speed of Light

The Hi Hat: Bizou, Absurdist Fiction, Crook

I circled this night on the calendar when I saw that Bizou was playing. I've wanted to catch this band since they first hit the scene. The driving force was their drummer, Erin, who I follow on Instagram. When I saw them hit the stage, I realized that I actually recognized many of the band members. I was later told that the members of the band have played in various local bands such as Tennis System (Erin), Light FM (Josiah/Nicki), Smashing Pumpkins (Nicole - okay maybe not local, but she's played in other local bands that I've seen though can't recall the band names off the bat), Wax Idols (Marisa). As would be expected of a band with so much local music experience, they put on a top notch set. I only wish the lights weren't so bad for their drummer, Erin.

Bizou

Opening up was Crook, who gave a very personal set. He opened up the night so the audience was smaller when compared to the rest of the night, but those who were there made it feel very close knit. Most of the audience took a seat on the floor of The Hi Hat. As if to emphasize the fact that this was a group of close friends, there was also a text message that was sent to Crook towards the end of his set that he took the time to speed read through.

Crook

Also playing was Absurdist Fiction.

Absurdist Fiction

I'm up on California Rocker: Interview with Crook

I'm up on CaliforniaRocker with an interview with Crook.

Here's a sneak peak of the interview:

Do you find greater enjoyment writing a great song or performing a great song? Why the choice? Performance is always on my mind when writing. I'm trying to think of the visual character of each song constantly. This is more visible when I am performing with my whole band than when I am solo/locked in to the keyboard. I want the songs I write to have a visceral, lasting effect on the listener and often that requires a bit of physical finesse.