BoxViolet 11/06/10 - Pehrspace, Los Angeles, CA.

(Photo: BoxViolet Facebook)

Earlier this month, BoxViolet performed a show at Pehrspace as part of the line-up for The Monolators Silver Cities double EP release party. BoxViolet was celebrating a new release of their own as well, the EP Audition; plus, they gave that night's audience the opportunity to see them play as a four-piece band with the addition of Vanina Alfaro (Odd Modern) on keys and Sean Johnson (Shirley Rolls/The Damselles & The TC4) on drums. It's been quite awhile since we posted a BoxViolet show (okay, well, over a year actually); however, hopefully you will agree that it was worth the wait.

As it has been stated elsewhere, BoxViolet "played a nice, lengthy set" that mostly included material from the new EP, along with the pleasant surprise of "We Fell Dead" (Monolators cover) which they did a "redux" of on last year's We Fell Dead remix EP. They played to a pretty packed room, so you may hear some chatter in the background. Fun show, and we hope to see them again soon.

1.) Hello MP3
2.) Star Stuff MP3
3.) Holiday MP3
4.) Jump the Gun (thanks Margot!) MP3
5.) South MP3
6.) Portable MP3
7.) We Fell Dead (The Monolators) MP3
Text File

The Monolators 11/06/10 - Pehrspace, Los Angeles, CA.

(Photo: Rock NYC)

The weekend before last, The Monolators celebrated their latest release Silver Cities/Ruby, I'm Changing My Number (double EP) at Pehrspace. This was quite an event, featuring a line-up that included BoxViolet (who were also celebrating a new release of their own, the EP Audition), Hot TV, and The Tleilaxu Music Machine. We have covered The Monolators at great length in the past, most of which can be found in the last show we posted of theirs.

Tonight's setlist mostly consisted of the entire aforementioned double EP being played in it's entirety (mostly switching back and forth between tracks from both "albums"), along with the quasi-encore of the older song "Let's Be Best Friends In Space" from Our Tears Have Wings. A interesting personal highlight for me though, was when Eli came up to and sang to us during "Anxiety" (I think this was the song) - it's okay though Eli, you didn't know (was just taken by surprise is all) All in all, a very fun show (pardon some of the crowd noise)

1.) Introduction MP3
2.) Silver Cities MP3
3.) Ruby, I'm Changing My Number MP3
4.) I'll Be Glad When He's Gone MP3
5.) Anxiety MP3
6.) Such A Fool MP3
7.) Push And Pull MP3
8.) French TV MP3
9.) Pickup Ford MP3
10.) Let's Be Best Friends In Space MP3
Text File

FLAC (lossless) files available by request.

Nicole Kidman 8/14/10 - Pehrspace, Los Angeles, CA.

(Picture: Nicole Kidman myspace)

(Disclaimer: This post is not affiliated with the Australian actress or any other persons named "Nicole Kidman"*)

The weekend before last, Nicole Kidman played at Ema and the Ghost's birthday show, which also included Black Nile and Your Mom/Your Dad (aka The Monolators). Nicole Kidman is the moniker of Jon Barba, who has been described as a musician that "makes gritty, confessional electro-pop that sounds like he spent the last five years in his mom’s basement hunched over a keyboard, wallowing in laments of unrequited love." The 704 had a take on his music that I can concur with as well : "With his preset beats and his simple yet adept keyboard playing, he sang some of the most bluntly, nakedly confessional songs you'll ever hear, all in a high voice that sounded like it was a breath or two away from giving up and going home. From what I could tell, his songs were about exactly what they sounded like they were about--he opts for cutting truth over airy abstraction--but he'd occasionally hit on a phrase of such shattered perfection that you could only call it poetry." Like the artist said in his live performance, his "music isn't for everyone," but it's definitely worth a listen.

*The disclaimer is half-serious/half tongue-in-cheek. In today's world, one must try to keep all their bases covered.

1.) Introduction MP3
2.) Thirst For God MP3
3.) I've Got A Girlfriend MP3
4.) Southpaw MP3
5.) Chipmunk Cheeks MP3
6.) Let's Move To Tennessee MP3
7.) Snaggletooth MP3
8.) Astral Breeze MP3
Text File

FLAC (lossless) files available by request.

Your Mom/Your Dad (& The Monolators) 8/14/10 - Pehrspace, Los Angeles, CA.

(Photo: Your Mom/Your Dad Myspace)

Last Saturday, Your Mom/Your Dad played on part of the bill (which also included Black Nile and Nicole Kidman) for Ema and the Ghost's birthday show at Pehrspace. Your Mom/Your Dad is the newest project of The Monolators, which they describe as "us with new songs, mostly written by Mary, on casiotone keyboard, drum machine, bass, and electric autoharp." It's a departure from the traditional Monolators sound, but an interesting one.

This set was a split one, with a few songs performed as Your Mom/Your Dad and a few performed as The Monolators. The later was a smattering of tunes from their back catalog, including "Eagle Fighting Zebra" (which was recently covered by Seasons) Apologies for not having the titles to most of the Your Mom/Your Dad songs (edit: thanks to Eli for supplying the names of the new songs!) - the band is relatively new, and I believe this was only their second public live show.

On a related note, The Monolators have recently announced a fundraising event for their soon-to-be released split double E.P. Silver Cities - they are trying to raise $1600 in 30 days to help fund the vinyl mastering and pressing of the said E.P. There are a few levels of what you get for your pledge (starting at $5 for MP3's of the album to $150 for "the pillow pledge") This project is being run through Kickstarter, and more info can be found here.

Your Mom/Your Dad

1.) Introduction MP3
2.) What's Your Name MP3
3.) Hitch Hiker Song MP3
4.) French Song MP3
5.) High School Crush MP3

The Monolators

6.) Monolators intro MP3
7.) 14 Degrees MP3
8.) I Was a Captain In the Army MP3
9.) Feed Us A Live Insect MP3
10.) Eagle Fighting Zebra MP3
Text File

FLAC (lossless) files available by request.

Ema and the Ghosts 8/14/10 - Pehrspace, Los Angeles, CA.

(Photo: LA-Underground via Ema and the Ghost's myspace)

Last Saturday, Ema and the Ghosts headlined at Pehrspace, a gallery/performance space near downtown Los Angeles. This show was a unique one, in that it was a party celebrating Ema's 21st birthday, and had a line-up that included Black Nile (formally The Karabal Nightlife), Nicole Kidman (who was also celebrating a birthday), and Your Mom/Your Dad (new side project from The Monolators.) We haven't seen Ema and the Ghosts for quite awhile, but in the interim she has released online a couple of E.P.s - Ema and the Ghosts and Boy In The Milkbox.

The setlist included a few new(?) songs, along with older tunes such as "Alligator", "Dandelions", and "Behemoth." We also got to hear a cover of Leonard Cohen's "Memories." Overall, very good show.

1.) Introduction MP3
2.) Ice Cream MP3
3.) ??? MP3
4.) ??? MP3
5.) Alligator MP3
6.) Dandelions MP3
7.) ??? MP3
8.) Memories (Leonard Cohen) MP3
9.) Behemoth MP3
Text File

FLAC (loseless) files available by request.

When Captain Geech Met Teardrop (feat. members of the Monolators, etc) 10/03/09 - 11th Annual Eagle Rock Music Festival-Swork Coffee, Los Angeles, CA

(Note: this show was billed simply as "Pehriscope Collaboration #3" in the Eagle Rock Music Festival program. When The Monolators first spoke about this performance, they said it may be known as "the Los Angeles Disco-Skiffle Ensemble." It was announced at the actual show however, that they were to be officially known as "When Captain Geech Met Teardrop," and that is what they will be called here.)

In our second installment of our coverage of the 11th Annual Eagle Rock Music Festival, we take a look at the performance of "When Captain Geech Met Teardrop" at Swork Coffee. There, the popular music/gallery space Pehrspace had curated "a showcase of DJ's and artists who have been involved with the non-profit, all-ages Echo Park venue since its founding in 2005. They have been selected to work together to demonstrate how cooperation - rather than competition - nurtures creative energy. Features audience collaboration, projections, and live soundtracking incorporating on-the-spot video mixing and broken-prism imagery." (per Eagle Rock Festival program)

When Captain Geech Met Teardrop features members of L.A.-based bands such as The Monolators, Seasons, Divisadero, Manhattan Murder Mystery, and Don of Don's Music. The idea of the band was based on the combined "concept" of "disco skiffle" - disco of course being a genre of dance music with funk and soul elements, and skiffle "a type of popular music with jazz, blues, folk and country influences, usually using homemade or improvised instruments." Two of the songs from the setlist "Jack Of Diamonds" and "Cumberland Gap" by "main skiffle hero" Lonnie Donegan paid tribute to the skiffle side of the band, while "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" by Baccara took care of the disco side.

More on this show from The Monolators here and here.

1.) Introduction MP3
2.) Jack Of Diamonds (Lonnie Donegan cover) MP3
3.) The Duchess MP3
4.) Cumberland Gap (Lonnie Donegan cover) MP3
5.) "Melody" MP3
6.) Yes Sir, I Can Boogie (Baccara cover) MP3
Text File

FLAC (lossless) files available upon request (by e-mail)

Ema and the Ghosts 8/21/09 - Pehrspace, Los Angeles, CA.

Last month, Ema and the Ghosts played as part-up the line-up for "Hella Hipster Hoedown #4" at Pehrspace. I had wanted to attend one of these ever since they started up, but hadn't gotten to do so until now. Although I only stayed for Ema's set (had to get up early the next morning) it was definitely an interesting time. The stage area was surrounded with bales of hay, and mason jars lit with tea lights.

The last time Ema and the Ghosts was featured on the blog was back in March at Where Gallery. This set was a little different, most notably there was a cover of Roky Erickson's "Clear Night For Love"

I have to note that the first couple of songs are missing - the first one because she started playing, and I was caught off guard because I hadn't started recording yet. The second one isn't included because it isn't complete and there was some static issues (because I was moving the mics around)

1.) Alligator* MP3
2.) Behemoth MP3
3.) Clear Night For Love (Roky Erickson cover)^ MP3
4.) "Untitled" MP3
5.) Ice Cream* MP3
6.) Whirly Kid MP3

*with Jesse Knight
^with audience members on vocals

FLAC (lossless) files available upon request (by e-mail)