Tag: Los Angeles

Mini-Feature: Calling All Kids Calls it Quits

Hand in hand.

Hand in hand, the way it should be.

It bums me out something fierce to learn that this week’s installment of Calling All Kids will be its last. The Hyperion Tavern-hosted Friday-night hang has been a go-to for lovers of progressive music and cheap ale since it started up 15 months ago. Particularly, those who are involved with the good fight — writers, editors, publicists, artists, promoters, DJs, Dublabbers — seemed to take a shine to the place. Frankly, it felt like home.

So as I was taking a blog-powered trip down memory lane, I realized I’d never posted this little nugget on Funny Ha Ha. It’s really just a news piece about CAK’s one-year anniversary back in January, but since it includes a chat with the event’s creators Sodapop (Shaun Koplow of Anticon) and Matthewdavid (of Leaving Records), it seemed appropriate.

It also serves as a reminder that while the weekly may be called off, there’s undoubtedly more in store for the Calling All Kids name.

Read it here.

LA Upcoming: Yoshitake Expe, Dr. Dog, Jamie Lidell

A short list of recommended L.A.-area shows for the coming week (plus clips for instant gratification). Click “details” for descriptions. More after the jump.

  • Region: West Hollywood
    Music: Jamie Lidell, Solid Gold
    Vitals: Troubadour on Thursday, April 29
    (details at LA Weekly)

Continue reading →

Live in LA: Sublime Reunite with New Singer

Rome has got lovin'. Yep, it's what he's got.

Friends, stoners, layabouts — lend me your eyes. Last night I caught the first stop on the Sublime With Rome tour, which just so happened to kick off on a day known within a certain set as “4-20.” If you don’t know, now you know. The air was pungent and the sing-alongs were plenty. A good time was had by all, and you can read about it here, via Spin.

COACHELLA 2010: The Belated Preview

Charlotte Gainsbourg, shot by Andrew Herrold for Spin

So, I sorta spaced on this. On Thursday, LA Weekly released its annual Coachella issue and yours truly was all up in that ish. (Sorry, the long weekend has taken it’s toll on my creative juices.) While I realize the timeliness of this is a bit… untimely, since the focus is on L.A. artists, I’d like to get the word out.

Herein, you’ll find lots of good text on good performers from good writers like Jeff Weiss, Drew Tewksbury, Wendy Gilmartin and Daiana Feuer. I wrote on DJ Lance Rock, Devo, Edward Sharpe, the Glitch Mob, Mayer Hawthorne, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Julian Casablancas, and Thom Yorke. Dig it.

A Lot of Beat Music: MP3s, Podcasts and Videos from Madlib, Glitch Mob, Jneiro Jarel, more

Madlib at work.

L.A. news roundup: For no particular reason other than the Los Angeles beat scene’s own prolific nature and commitment to excellence (Glitch Mob excepting), every single one of my news items for LA Weekly‘s West Coast Sound last week concerned our hometown digital heroes.

  1. FEATURED: Glitch Mob Debuts Fancy New Bartender Technology*
  2. Take and Nobody Cure the Mondays with Warm Beats, Exotic Tones
  3. MP3 Exclusive: Madlib Remixes Dabrye and DOOM’s “Air,” on Ghostly
  4. Download: Jneiro Jarel Remixes Brazilian Legend Arthur Verocai
  5. MP3 Exclusive: “Discipline09-3” by Ras G, on Leaving Records

* “Is this why the Glitch Mob weaseled out of its handshake contract with Alpha Pup, effectively leaving Low End Theory behind for good? To divine advanced methods of stylish douchebaggery?”

    (all stories via West Coast Sound, via LA Weekly)

LA Notcoming: Gary Numan cancels El Rey gig

A champion has been declared in the epic battle of Gary vs. The Volcano. Hint: the one that spews magma won. Sadly, this means that the New Wave legend not only missed the weekend’s Coachella festival, but that he’s canceled the U.S. mini tour that was to follow. I’d written a preview for Wednesday’s L.A. gig. Read it if you wish, or make the jump to peruse Numan’s announcement.

  • Region: Miracle Mile
    Music: Gary Numan
    Vitals: El Rey Theatre on Wednesday, April 21
    (details at LA Weekly)

Continue reading →

LA Upcoming: XBXRX tonight at Pehrspace

Coachella prep took its toll on Funny Ha Ha. Getting caught up with posts right now, and realized that this little gem went unmentioned here. If you didn’t attend the festival over the weekend, there’s a chance you might be in the market for a thorough thrashing at the hands of some Bay Area art-punks.

  • Region: Echo Park
    Music: XBXRX, Narwhalz, Longmont Potion Castle, Neon Navajo…
    Vitals: Pehrspace on Monday, April 19
    (details at LA Weekly)

News Roundup: Franz vs. Foot, Elvis Perkins, Free Languis LP, Mayer RMXs Snoop, El Guincho

El Guincho rides again.

Quick bloggy bits* from around the L.A. underground (and up).

  1. WTF: Did Franz Ferdinand Rip-Off L.A. Band Foot Village?!
  2. Elvis Perkins Plays Surprise Gig in Echo Park, Gallery 2023 Closes
  3. Dream-Poppers Languis Release Free Album, ‘Higher Hell’ [MP3]
  4. Snoop Dogg + Mayer Hawthorne Bromance, Pt. 3: The Remix
  5. Watch: The Amazing El Guincho Plays in Rainforest [MP3]

    6. (all stories via West Coast Sound, via LA Weekly)

*If you like it, then you better put a tweet on it.

Feature: Unveiling the Dum Dum Girls

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Just who is this masked woman?

New feature in LA Weekly today, and I do believe it’s the longest yet on Sub Pop’s recent signing, Dum Dum Girls. Some interesting revelations in here. Though the project’s main brain Dee Dee has been previously linked to her old San Diego band, Grand Ole Party, she hasn’t spoken about it until now. Also, it seems this hot, new L.A. band on the rise isn’t from L.A. after all. Gasp!

But none of this should overshadow the fact that Dee Dee made a solid record. I talk to her and legendary Brill Building songwriter Richie Gottehrer about the process, her vision and other exciting things here.