Phyllis Orrick and the Reader
U.S.Grant, Jr., Marguerite Henry, James Meredith, nuclear Coronado,
Phyllis Orrick 8:30 a.m., Sept. 21
Shows Just Announced
Jimmy Iovine’s brand of carefree goodtime radio rock
Rooney, Disrupt Festival, A.A. Bondy, Andrew Bird
L.A. alt-rockers Rooney will be celebrating 20 years of music, “unplugged and live,” for their Break the Wall Tour, due to hit Soda Bar on June 27. Fronted by singer and multi-instrumentalist Robert Schwartzman, the ...
Within a crowded field already overflowing with Weezer wannabes and vapid Vampire Weekenders
Remo Drive, Reel Big Fish, Built to Spill, Black Keys
There’s something about Epitaph Records, when you hear of a band signed to that label, you pretty much always know what you’re in for. Emo, power pop, and pop punk make up the bulk of ...
If Lana Del Rey had been born a guy
Young Jesus, Connan Mockasin, CJ Ramone, Carlos Rivera
L.A.-based art rock quartet Young Jesus (not to be confused with the Logic song by that name) sounds kind of like if Lana Del Rey had been born a guy (which some online commentators who ...
Aerosmithian rock balladry
Deaf Havana, Jamila Woods, Aly & AJ, Smashing Pumpkins
It sometimes seems as if British alt-rockers Deaf Havana are embarrassed by the top-five chart success of their biggest release, 2017’s All These Countless Nights. Formed in 2005, their fifth album from last year, Rituals, ...
Effortless proficiency on Dobro, mandolin, acoustic bass, piano, sax, and even the clarinet and bassoon
John Jorgenson, Damned Things, Supersuckers, Citizen
John Jorgenson is one of the first and few guitarists since the late Dick Dale or Stanley Jordan to so quickly establish an instantly recognizable signature sound. His playing can easily be picked out from ...
Hand-stamped authentic via Woody Guthrie
Ellis Paul, Gary Clark Jr., Jenny & the Mexicats, O.A.R.
There’s an art to telling stories through music that has nearly been lost since the advent of multitracking. It takes a fierce kind of bravery to face an audience armed only with a guitar, mic, ...
Twisted doo-wopian hooks
Dickies, Father John Misty, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Coheed & Cambria, Chainsmokers
Pop-punk originators the Dickies have never been shy about their love for the Ramones, and not just the pure pop masterworks co-created by Phil Spector. The San Fernando Valley band worships every twisted doo-wopian hook ...
New look for “King Without a Crown” writer & more just announced concerts
Matisyahu, The Faint, the Lemonheads, Billie Eilish
Matthew Paul Miller, aka Matisyahu, earned a lot of early press for being the first widely known Hasidic Jewish reggae performer to incorporate rapping and beat-boxing into his music. You could run down a calculator ...
Syncopated soulful groove of the Suffers & more Just Announced concerts
The Suffers, Hot Flash Heat Wave, Jack Tempchin, The Church
Houston’s The Suffers were still trying to match their funky 1970s “Workin’ at the Car Wash” R&B sound to contemporary reggae and dub music when their first singles and debut Make Some Room EP dropped ...
Party like it’s 1965
Gene Evaro Jr., Driver Era, Turnover, Reptaliens, Mdou Moctar
Rarely has an artist summed up both their sound and philosophy as succinctly as Gene Evaro Jr. does on his album, song, and video for “Like It’s 1965.” Nearly everything he says, does, sings, and ...
Ryan Bingham: snarky desert troubadour
Plus Bad Suns, Little People, Bryan Ferry
Americana singer-songwriter Ryan Bingham may not be breaking any new ground in the roots music field, but it is called roots; you’re not supposed to dig ‘em up. Maintaining sagebrush authenticity isn’t a problem for ...
Honky-tonk swagger and bitter laments
Watsky, Green Leaf Rustlers, The Lil Smokies , Tedeschi Trucks Band
Former Black Crowe Chris Robinson may be looking more and more like he posed for the Shroud of Turin, but his voice has only gotten stronger through the years, as heard over the course of ...
Nearly novelty
Danko Jones, Nashville Pussy, Novo Amor, Cold Cave, Baby Bushka
Canadian rock trio Danko Jones will make their first appearance at Observatory North Park (having previously favored the Casbah and Brick By Brick) on February 10, where they’ll presumably preview their upcoming ninth studio album, ...
Pop-punk lounge act's novelty punch preserved
Smoking Popes, Cuco, Welles, Shawn Mendes
Had Frank Sinatra had been born in Chicago circa 1971 and grown up on Naked Raygun and the Ramones, he probably would have founded the Smoking Popes. Their pop-punk-lounge act has retained the novelty punch ...
Bilingual dream pop
Marias, Band of Horses, Electric Six, Ian Anderson
Listening to bilingual dream pop band the Marias is like being presented with a soundtrack to the weirdest second hand store you ever went home and told your friends about. Everything is vintage and stacked ...
