Day 4: Echo Park Rising

Day 4 at Echo Park Rising was my fun day. I wasn't shooting for Buzzbands so I showed up later than I would have if I was shooting for the site and I just set up camp at The Echo/Echoplex.

The day started out catching a couple touring bands. Autumn was coming in from Minnesota while The Bellwether Syndicate hailed from Chicago. Both rocked it out under the lights of the Echoplex. What was the best moment of the two sets was actually what happened after The Bellwether Syndicate. The drummer brought up his little girl who started banging away on one of the drums.

Autumn

The Bellwether Syndicate

Collapsing Scenery didn't play the main stage at the Echoplex. No, they played in the far back corner of the venue. I didn't even realize it until just before they were about to play. I was just hanging out at the main stage, watching the young kid having the time of her life. I turned around and there were sheets hanging from the ceiling and floor lights shining. Yep, that was Collapsing Scenery. That band loves to rock against the backdrop of flashing lights.

Collapsing Scenery

Then it was a rush upstairs to The Echo to catch Ever So Android. They started their set a touch early, because as I headed up a little before their 6:45 p.m. start time I could hear them hitting up their first song. The venue was packed for their set. Some call their sound goth punk. Others call it industrial. It doesn't matter, I love their music and was thrilled they were playing in front of such a large crowd. Lead singer Hope jumped into the audience for one song to get the mosh pit going. A guy to my side decided it was a good time to protect his $10 drink.

Ever So Android

I then rushed back down to the Echoplex to catch a few songs by Poppy Jean Crawford. Love her quiet attitude on stage.

Poppy Jean Crawford

Then it was back to close things out at The Echo with Dancing Tongues, Draemings, R Clown (no known link) and The Bank of America (no known link).

Draemings is a favorite of mine. I heard someone to the side of me say of lead singer Kimi, "She's so pretty, I love her." In regards to Kimi, this was her 6th set of the festival. She did 4 sets with her band Kevin, one with Draemings and a solo set. And this was done over 3 days and not 4 days. Talk about being busy. Maybe driven by surviving those 6 sets, she jumped into the crowd and danced with great joy.

Draemings

As for The Bank of America, I couldn't catch The Paranoyds as I was doing photography on the east side during their Friday set. So what do I do, I catch The Bank of America. Lexi of The Paranoyds is in the band. This band is totally different from The Paranoyds. There are no vocals. The band just jams, sending out pulsating beats.

The Bank of America

Dancing Tongues and R Clown got the crowd hyped up for some mosh pit action. The crowds were still ready for the mosh pit even after four days of music.

Dancing Tongues

R Clown

The Satellite: Badtooth, Deaf Dance, Ever So Android, GLAARE

This night was about the lights. Okay, that's just what I focused on for some reason. Badtooth played under red lights. Deaf Dance played under the bright greens and blues that The Satellite stage is known for. Ever So Android brought their own strobe lights, which made photography all about timing of the click. GLAARE attempted to use strobe lights, but they had mechanical issues and so asked for stage lights. As for GLAARE, their guitarist was having problems throughout the set due to the low lights. I could hear her begging for the stage lights, but her band mates couldn't hear her and so didn't inform the light guy to turn on the stage lights earlier in the set. At one point, she was down on her knees trying to figure out what buttons/pedals to push. I was feeling really bad for her.

Badtooth brought some shoegaze sounds. Dressed in black and under the red lights, they set up a gloomy atmosphere. Gloomy, but thrilling.

Badtooth

Deaf Dance had me thinking this one thought throughout the set: we have MacGyver (original) on guitars teaming up with a Goth Vampire playing keys and dancing on stage. I'm not going to lie, I found the dancing on stage weirdly robotic and fascinating.

Deaf Dance

This is my third time catching Ever So Android as a full band. Their punk sounds are fuller now, but that doesn't mean that lead singer Hope isn't still doing her onstage performances. One moment, she's doing a curtsy and the next she's pulling up her dress to flash her undergarments. It's like the ballerina that pops out of the music box going adult.

Ever So Android

Closing out the night was GLAARE. This was my first times seeing the band. Yet, some of the members of the band looked so familiar. Perhaps I've run across them in the scene. Hair flings and dark wave sounds drive this band. As mentioned above, they had to deal with some obstacles, but I'm more than wanting to catch this band again.

GLAARE

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

Top 15 Los Angeles New Bands (new to me, but maybe not new to you) of 2017

I've done Top 10 lists for a number of years, but 2017 was so much fun, I couldn't limit my list to just 10 bands. Over the past couple weeks different band names kept popping up in my mind. So for 2017, I'm expanding my list to Top 15.

15: Pipe Dreams

August: So Jana Ghost was one of my first Instagram followers. I soon noticed that she was in a band called Pipe Dreams. It took around a year, but I finally caught her band at Echo Park Rising. LoFi with a who cares attitude.

Pipe Dreams at Harvard & Stone

14: Warbly Jets

January: They did the first residency night at The Satellite for 2017. I went twice. I seldom go to see a residency twice. The venue was packed. The music. The crowd. I felt swept away.

Warbly Jets at The Satellite

13: Goon

July: I first saw Goon randomly when heading out to catch a prior year Top Ten selection: Alyeska. Go see a favorite and find another favorite.

Goon at The Echo

12: Lucy & La Mer

August: My first interaction with the band wasn't because I saw them live. My first interaction was due to mistaken identity. Well, I decided to check out the band. This band can be rather deceptive. Lyrics tinged with painful memories against a backdrop of catchy melodies.

Lucy & La Mer at Chinatown Summer Nights

11: Ever So Android

March: I first saw them at The Hi Hat. They were the last band up. There were just a handful of us still around. I honestly was planning on sticking around for just a couple songs and then take off. They started to play and I fell in love. They know how to work a stage.

Ever So Android at The Hi Hat

10: Gypsum

October: Immediate reaction was: they sound like Local Natives!

Gypsum at The Echo

9: Zealyn

April: I first saw Zealyn at Broke LA. She has the most awe inspiring vocals and she moves so quickly that my camera has a hard time capturing her without blurs. By far my favorite idol.

Zealyn at Hotel Cafe

8: Trapdoor Social

September: You'll want to head out into nature and dance. Plus, this band puts on an awesome festival run totally by solar power.

Trapdoor Social at the Sunstock Solar Festival

7: Lily Waters

October: Combine Lauren Ruth Ward and LP together and you have Lily Waters.

Lily Waters at The Smell

6: Lauren Ruth Ward

March: Went to Harvard & Stone on a random night. Came across Lauren Ruth Ward. Addicted since that time. I'm sure many others out there would agree.

Lauren Ruth Ward at Harvard & Stone

5: Francisca Valenzuela

September: As is my norm every year, I head out to Chinatown Summer Nights. On this particular day, it was really hot and I was thinking of just going there later in the evening. But I changed my mind and went out early. I'm so happy I did. Her songs were in Spanish and I don't speak Spanish, but it didn't matter. I was listening to wonder.

Francisca Valenzuela at Chinatown Summer Nights

4: JaneLane

August: I first saw JaneLane at Echo Park Rising. Romantic disappointments against a soft touch of dreamy music. Now why wouldn't you love that?

JaneLane at The Smell

3: Holy Wars

June: My history with Holy Wars actually goes back a few years when there was a band called Sad Robot. I count this as a re-incarnation into a totally new sound and band. Some may find their music too emotionally painful. I find it to be emotionally cathartic.

Holy Wars at Harvard & Stone

2: Kid Wave/Lea Emmery

April: I had the opportunity to interview Kid Wave and got into a "debate" about what was the band's best song. She said "Everything Changes." I said "Wonderlust." I'm not going to lie: this is one of the few times I've seen a local Los Angeles band for the first time and known most of their songs beforehand. In my pre-interview research, I clicked on one song and then couldn't stop listening.

Kid Wave at Broke LA

1: Potty Mouth

January: 2017 started off with a big bang for me in terms of the Los Angeles music scene. And one of the main reasons is that I came across Potty Mouth. During their set, I was just blown away. I didn't want the music to end. I'm listing them #1 for a reason: for me, my go to Los Angeles band to listen to online is Potty Mouth.

Potty Mouth at The Hi Hat

Hope you've enjoyed this list. I have to say that this year was one of my favorite ever in terms of finding new bands. Ranks right up with those years where I first came across bands like Eastern Conference Champions, Family of the Year, Grouplove, and Local Natives.

Concert Review: Draemings with Jesse Jo Stark, Ever So Android and Brass Box at The Echo

The Echo. One thing I've learned about the Los Angeles music scene: if you're interested in checking out a specific night and you suddenly see an added name pop up on the website and if that band/individual is up first, you better show up early even if you don't have a clue who that individual is. That was the case on this specific Draemings residency night.

I noticed that Jesse Jo Stark was added to the line-up. I'm not hip on the fashion scene so I had no clue who she was, but after doing some research I learned a whole lot more. I made sure I was there by 8:00 p.m. as were a whole lot of other individuals. Her music has that Mazzy Star feel to it. That is a connection that one can't complain about. She was calm and comfortable on stage while her bassist had this gritted teeth wild look that just caught my attention.

Jesse Jo Stark

After Jesse Jo Stark, Ever So Android came on stage. This was my second time seeing this band. They are one of my new favorites. The lead singer paces that stage like a caged animal.

Just before their set I had the following paraphrased conversation with a fellow photographer:

Me: I’m here to see Ever So Android.

Photographer gives me a side eye look like I’m crazy. [On Instagram, I stated that this was the night to head out to see Draemings, because Ever So Android was on the bill. So I was there to see both. I just failed to mention this fact.]

Ever So Android played their set.

Photographer: What did you say their name was?

Me: Ever So Android.

Photographer: They’re so good! [One more convert.]

Ever So Android

Brass Box came on stage next. The lead singer used to play with Black Flamingo. There is a connection here as the lead singer from Draemings also played in Black Flamingo. It was like a family reunion. Actually, it is always nice to see this happen as that let's you know that the breakup of a band didn't cause a breakup in friendships. Brass Box has an ethereal sound that has a touch of influence from Black Flamingo.

Brassbox

Draemings did their third residency set. The Echo was packed for the weirdness. Lead singer Kimi, dare I guess wrong, was dressed like a flaming Phoenix bird. Another member of the band was dressed up like a manic toy soldier. With their theatrical fashion and wonderful stage decoration, it was a set to remember. Well, let's not forget that college radio '80s/90s alternative rock sound. Oh yeah.

Draemings