The band's unique blend of funk, pop, and indie-rock had the crowd dancing and singing along from the very first note. The band's energy was contagious, and their chemistry on stage was evident throughout the entire performance.
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Released March 28, 1973, this iconic album is celebrating its 50th anniversary, so it is only fitting to write a review. Houses of the Holy was a transition out of the band’s iconic quadruple self-titled albums (Led Zeppelin I, II, III & IV), and it is heard in their sound. Houses of the Holy was the album they began experimenting with genres, delving into funk, reggae, ballads, and some psychedelic. There is also more focus on instrumentation and emphasis on instrumental breaks than in the previous four albums.
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It’s been a hazy last month and Kali Uchis has arisen from the storm. With the days just starting to get longer and spring coming, she delivers with good timing the entrancing Red Moon in Venus.
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Yo La Tengo. I always thought that was a silly name for a trio of straight-faced white folks making soft, artful indie rock. Spanish for “I have it,” the name comes from old baseball lore. In 1962, New York Mets center fielder Richie Ashburn frequently collided with shortstop Elio Chacon in the outfield. When going in for the catch Ashburn would yell, “I got it! I got it!”. Chacon, however, only spoke Spanish, so with time, Ashburn learned to yell, “Yo la tengo!” instead.
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The energy within the Fonda Theatre only heightened as White Reaper took the stage. I love a crowd whose demographic is so wildly different because, at the end of the day, we’re all there for our shared love of music for the band(s) playing. I think this show was one of the most respectful rock concerts I’ve ever been to. Their stage presence was awesome, they kept the crowd engaged, and they matched the crowd’s energy, which to me, is one of the most critical parts of live music. The mutual respect and understanding between the artist and the audience was the thing that stuck with me the most after the show.
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Veteran pop-punk band Paramore is back with the 2023 release of their 6th studio album, This is Why. Six years after their widely acclaimed LP, After Laughter, Paramore sought to contrast their previous release and reflect on their own journey as a band and as individuals. Almost 20 years after the band’s inception, we see the group harkening back to their original “guitar-led” sound as opposed to their more recent pop endeavors both in Paramore and in frontwoman Hayley Williams’ solo career.
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What better venue for a band’s self-proclaimed Last Show Ever than the Fonda Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard? On February 17th, the Vista Kicks played their final concert for an almost-sold-out crowd with openers Scout Larue Willis and Swimm, making use of the concert hall’s excellent acoustics to put on a show that highlighted lead singer Derek Thomas’ and supporting Hail Maries’ beautiful voices.
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I’ll take any excuse to go to Teragram Ballroom, one of the rare venues with impeccable sound. A fresh pair of February singles are the band’s first releases in over two years, but that didn't stop them from nearly selling out an entire west coast run. The California-cool pop outfit drew a varied crowd – college kids, family units, and a handful of hipsters bearing a scary resemblance to my poetry TA. Long-awaited Los Angeles returns tend to feel special, and this one was no exception.
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If you like the relentless energy of early Strokes albums, the gothic kickdrums of Molchat Doma, and the monotonous vocals of Fontaines D.C., this album is worth a listen. It’s good if you like repetitive music – which I really do love! A more generous term for the category is trance-like, hypnotic even. I’ve long said that the Strokes are the most genius, most universally beloved pop band to ever exist. So if you give this album time, it’ll earworm its way into your brain.
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