The Silverlake Lounge: Andy Clockwise with Jagged Baptist Club and EW Martin

The last time I saw Andy Clockwise was back in 2019 at the Lodge Room. I've followed him since 2010. He puts on an excellent show. This time was no different with him jumping up on the Silverlake Lounge bar's counter top along with Blake Stokes from Jagged Baptist Club for one song. Is there any one who gives the old man cranky attitude than Andy Clockwise? The show was part two of his December residency. Unfortunately, it was his last residency as the spike in COVID-19 cut short his 4 show residency. 

Any Clockwise

 

Jagged Baptist Club and EW Martin opened the night for Andy Clockwise. EW Martin did a solo guitar set doing mostly covers. This was my fifth time seeing Jagged Baptist Club this year. They rank as the band I've seen the most this year. Not a bad band to see more than any other. They know how to put on a show. And they also claimed (in jest) that this show should be known as the final show of 2021, because it was actually New Year's Eve and we just didn't know it.

Jagged Baptist Club

EW Martin

New Music Alert: Jagged Baptist Club's "Temptation Death House"

 

Jagged Baptist Club's "Temptation Death House" song release has you thinking Depeche Mode and "Personal Jesus." The vocals and lyrical style just ring similar. The song is driven by the lead vocals as well as hypnotic synths. The synths just drive a continual forward motion to the song. 

Photo taken at The Hi Hat

Silverlake Lounge: Mazie, Your Favorite Color, Jagged Baptist Club

I wasn't planning on going out on Wednesday night, but then I noticed that Mazie was playing The Silverlake Lounge. Now I'd never heard of Mazie before, but it seemed like it would be a unique set. Was I ever correct. It really was like watching live animation. What I mean by animation is a cartoon character jumping from the screen and right onto the stage. Just the way she dresses in very colorful fashion and the silver chain that she had in her hair. Her music also just had that kid cartoon feel to it (now I don't watch kid cartoons so I'm just imaging how those cartoons are). A very enjoyable set.

Mazie

Up next was Your Favorite Color. I swear I just couldn't get it out of my head: the lead singer reminds me of a young Jared Leto from his "My So Called Life" days. I think the band is still a work in process. I say that, because they rounded out their set with two cover songs. But this band really rocked me with crisp and slightly stretched vocals that played well against driving beats.

Your Favorite Color

Jagged Baptist Club concluded their fourth residency night. This band knows how to entertain and expects the adulation for doing so. At the end of the set, they shouted out some thanks. They even shouted out thanks to an individual who requested to be thanked. 

Jagged Baptist Club

Five Straight Nights of Music (Actually Six)

It was a wild five straight nights of music -- though I do believe I made it home by 11 p.m. (or within reason) for all those nights. It started on Monday when I went to The Mint to catch Ariel Beesley and Archer Valentine. Ariel Beesley is a long time favorite who puts on a great show that includes wonderful punk pop melodies along with a stage show that mesmerizes with multiple high kicks, hair flings and general enthusiasm. Archer Valentine opened the night with sexual appeal that had the gals at the front of stage. This was my first time at The Mint since mid-2019. And well, since that mid-2019 night there had also been a long gap in between visits at that time, as well. The Mint is a bit far and out of the way from where I live when you consider all the other venues that are so much closer, but I generally always enjoy my time at this venue.

Ariel Beesley

Tuesday night was going to be a rest night, but then I noticed that Earth is a Death Star was playing at Little Joy. I've been wanting to catch this band for a couple years now. Their garage rock sound shook the floor. They weren't the only band I caught. I arrived at Little Joy just in time to catch a few songs from Boy Have Heart. His friends were there is force. One Outta Ten came up next with a party animal style that is catchy. You can tell they just love playing music.

Earth is a Death Star

Wednesday was spent at The Silverlake Lounge where Jagged Baptist Club was on their second residency night. I've seen this band 3 times in less than 2 weeks so I'm not sure how much more I can add about this band's music. Opening up for the band was Friendly Bear and Reckling. I saw Reckling for the first time when they were playing with Feels at the Resident back in late 2019. Their music is all about speed. I noticed that the lead singer recently got engaged; congrats are due to her.

Reckling

My Thursday night was featured on Buzzbands. It states that I did the reporting on the opening night of live music at The Goldfish. That's a bit generous. I provided some details, but Kevin Bronson did the write-up. Always You and Double Wish will forever be wonderfully known as the first bands to play the new venue that replaces The Hi Hat.

Always You

I decided to put the pedal to the floor and head out Friday night to catch Talk Time and Polartropica at an undisclosed location in Lincoln Heights. Was it really in Lincoln Heights? If it was, it was on the edge of Lincoln Heights on the east end. Either way, it was a night under the stars. Polartropica put on an extravagant set that she is well known for doing. Talk Time just rocked us.

Polartropica

There was a sixth night out -- Saturday night. That night is also being featured on Buzzbands.

Silverlake Lounge: Cuffed Up and Jagged Baptist Club

Cuffed Up hit the stage at the Silverlake Lounge for their first live set since March 2020. Was there any rust that needed to be polished out? Not from what I could tell. They came on stage and just shredded it throughout their set. Sapphire Jewell often played the guitar low to the ground while sliding those fingers. During one song where she took the lead vocals, she stepped out into the audience with power. Ralph Torrefranca was a tornado of energy that sent his glasses constantly sliding down his nose and him having to constantly move it back in place. What a 30 minute thrill.

Cuffed Up

As for Jagged Baptist Club, this was my second time seeing the band over a 4 day period. I'd previous driven down to Long Beach to cover Happy Sundays and got to catch their full set at Alex's Bar. This band is just fun to watch and photograph. Lead singer Blake Stokes does have a revival preacher style, which fits in perfectly with the band name. This style combines dynamic and quirky with a touch of the feeling that you're part of an inside joke. With arms often stretched out towards the audience, this band connects with their fans.    

Jagged Baptist Club

Echo Park Rising 2020: Online Edition Part 2

I ended Part 1 of my Echo Park Rising review with Veneer  After their set I took a short break and then returned to Portia Street Studios Youtube page to see Spare Parts for Broken Hearts. Their set just blew me out of my apartment. Did I need to wear ear plugs!

Spare Parts for Broken Hearts

From there, I jumped over to Bands in the Barbershop via Twitch. I caught the last song of Jagged Baptist Club. Then Chase Petra came on. All members of the band wore masks. I liked that fact. What I noticed was how the bassist and guitarist bounced their feet to the beat in the same directions. Their duo vocals perfectly built on top of each other. 

Jagged Baptist Club

Chase Petra

ModPods' lead singer wore a hockey type mask. The drummer started the set off the stage, watching her band members. "My headache is like a bullet." The band is like a lounge singer deciding to go punk. The band goes without a guitarist and the drummer / bassist switched off. The lead singer asked, "Are other bands better at banter?"

ModPods

Broken Baby's lead singer wore a t-shirt that said, "We are RBG." Her energy just takes her body in every direction. The microphone stand traveled along with her sometimes ending up on the stage and other times ending up on the floor and sometime held high like an exclamation point. It got a workout. "This is the first time we've practiced since April . . . no, February." Pretty good practice session.

Broken Baby

Back over to the main Echo Park Rising site, Alica Blue played "Queen of Echo Park," a song dedicated to Lauren Ruth Ward. And Lauren Ruth Ward joined in for part of the song. Leila Sunier shared the stage with Alica Blue. They did a two person round. Leila Sunier had the wind blowing through her hair throughout the set. I learned that Alicia Blue wanted to be a poet and that she wakes up at 6 a.m. What was interesting about the set was watching the shift from late afternoon to night fall. They finished the round singing Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide.

Alicia Blue, Leila Sunier, Lauren Ruth Ward

Clit Kat hit the Bands in the Barbershop Twitch page. Their set started off with a brief John Williams introduction and then their Blade Runner inspired android punk music took over. They scream with a metal growl. I noticed that the band members (other than the lead singer) all wore midriff t-shirts and gym shorts. The Twitch comments section was all about mosh pits. The floor lights of the Barbershop were flashing. And the lead singer had her notes on the floor, which might be a reason why she spent moments throughout the set looking down at the floor.

Clit Kat

A jump back over to the main site had Skullcrusher up. I first saw this musician during this quarantine. I got to catch her a second time during this quarantine. She has a soft approach to her music that is filled with emotion. She played her set on the edge of her bed. Winter made what I think was a surprised appearance as I don't believe it was on the schedule. She did a one song set. 

Skullcrusher

Winter

Ramonda Hammer also played a one song set with each member of the band playing from different locations. Their song was their recent release "Big Hands." The video was done in B&W.

Ramonda Hammer

Slaughterhouse took over at Bands in the Barbershop. The lead singer was dressed in a leopard dress suit. And to end the songs, she'd often shake her head and make a kick with her right foot. The vocals at one moment are screaming and the next they're like a giant taking its time to crush you as you run as fast as you can away from it (of course, with those long legs, a leisurely stroll by a giant means they're rapidly closing the gap no matter how fast you run). A couple members of the band couldn't help but crack smiles throughout the set. In the comments section it felt like it was a live show. Instead of emojis people were typing out comments like, "Didn't put on deodorant so I can smell like I'm there."

Slaughterhouse

For me, I closed out my time at Echo Park Rising by heading back over to Portia Street Studios to catch Naia Izumi who was a blissful way to end the night. A guitar aficionado providing jazz vocals. But wait, was that some recorded growling during one song? 

Naia Izumi

Quarantine Online Sets: Version 41

The Satellite was putting on their "6 songs at 6 p.m. for 6 nights" series on their Livestream, curated by The 6*6*60s.

Cathy from The Great Sadness opened the series up on Monday. She brought her desert rock and a guitar that dated back all the way to 1905 (I believe that is what I heard). 

The Great Sadness

Electric Children was up on Tuesday. The three strong band made an entrance. The online stream started with an empty stage and the members made an entrance. I loved it. They played some haunting sounding rock music. 

Electric Children

Taleen Kali on Wednesday was dressed in all black and with black sunglasses. She was looking super cool during a hot late August afternoon.

Taleen Kali

Thursday had half of Jagged Baptist Club playing an energetic vocal driven rock set.

Jagged Baptist Club

Polartropica on Friday provided an end of the work week pool party.

Polartropica

Closing out the series was two members from the bands Qui and Cunts. They did a set of cover songs.

Qui and Cunts