The Year Zero 2/04/10 - Alex's Bar, Long Beach, CA.

(Photo: The Year Zero's myspace)

Last Thursday, The Year Zero were on the roster of bands at Alex's Bar in Long Beach (and yes, this post is one of the first that finally ventured outside of Los Angeles - hey, it only took a little over a year) The Year Zero are primarily based in Long Beach, and seem to rarely plays shows outside of there, so taking a "field trip" of shorts is needed in order to see them. Luckily, with some free time on my hands and being in the right place at the right time, it worked out so I could go see them again.

I had first heard of The Year Zero some time ago while pursuing L.A.-Underground (a most excellent blog that highlights the Los Angeles music scene) A little while later I found and picked their LP Oceania, I Will Return, and listened and quite liked their brand of shoegazey, dream-pop. I eventually got to see them perform an acoustic show at {open} (a bookstore in Long Beach) in 2008 - however, it wasn't until now that I got another chance to see them again.

This performance, while on the short side (it appeared that they got started late, and had to cut a song from the setlist as a result) was a good one. Most of the songs played seem to be newer ("The Voice Of All" and "Counting Planes" are somewhat older) Sound is slightly on the muddy side and there were some chatty people in the crowd, but isn't too bad.

1.) Last Exile MP3
2.) Highway Earth MP3
3.) No Fall Tonight MP3
4.) Energy MP3
5.) The Voice Of All MP3
6.) Under A Sea Of Light MP3
7.) Counting Planes MP3
Text File

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

One Trick Pony 1/30/10 - The Hotel Cafe, Hollywood, CA.

Last Saturday, One Trick Pony played a show at The Hotel Cafe. (well, technically since it was after midnight it was on Sunday, but since they were on Saturday's bill, we'll just leave it at that) The first time I had heard of One Trick Pony was when one of their songs "Loose Talk" was covered by Death To Anders at Radio Free Silverlake's "Undercovered" show last year. The next month I only caught some of their set at the first of (with The Monolators) the Where Gallery "Exposure" shows, but was intrigued enough to want to catch them again, and the opportunity finally presented itself this past weekend.

However, I do have a bit to say on the venue that is The Hotel Cafe. I still like this place, I truly do, despite the way it's changed over the years. While it has still retained a few of it's laid-back qualities that defined it as more of a "coffeehouse"-type place in it's infancy, since becoming a more popular "scene" type of place, a lot has not changed for the better. (this was subtlety referenced by lead singer Randolph Pennyworth when he mentioned between songs "weathering that whole wave of douche outside") I suppose it can't helped, things change, especially when they become more popular. It still stings a little though.

Nevertheless,it was a fun show - lots new/newer songs (including some from the recently released album Full Of Life. Some crowd chatter present through to varying degrees (see text file for more info)

1.) Loose Talk MP3
2.) Phonebook MP3
3.) Masonry MP3
4.) Andrew Jackson MP3
5.) Get Over Yourself MP3
6.) Crepehangers MP3
7.) Children Pt. II MP3
8.) Diagonal Waves MP3
Text File

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

Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs 10/08/07 - The Echo, Los Angeles, CA.

(Photo by Elana)

From the archives.

Awhile back, Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs played a show at The Echo. It was an odd sort of performance because they were booked on a residency night (if I remember correctly, Castledoor held it there that month) and seemingly got a shorter time slot because of it. Nevertheless, it was still a good show though.

I first heard of Holly Golightly back in 2003, when she released the LP Truly She Is None Other. A review of the album in Bust Magazine caught my eye which stated "with your sweet lil' ditties that make us want to redecorate our rooms into tiki hideaways, put on our best pastel '50s prom dresses, and float around our homes, dusting just for fun! Let's throw a fondue party in your honor and listen to your Candy Land voice peep through you vintage amp crackle, telling us to remind our loves, 'Don't forget I let you in and I'll let you out again.'" Needless to say, I was intrigued enough to go out and pick up the album, and fell in love with it; and have been listening to her music ever since.

I finally got to attend one of Holly Golightly's shows in 2004 (at Spaceland), which took place after she had released Slowly But Surely (which turned out to be the last full-length album of original material before she started pursuing music with "& The Brokeoffs) Since she unfortunately doesn't seem to tour the U.S. that much, this was the next show of hers that took place in L.A. - which was very different from her previous work, in that the "Brokeoffs" music was more geared towards alternative country. I must confess I prefer her older music, but the show wasn't bad in itself.

A review of the show can be found here.

1.) Crow Jane FLAC MP3
2.) Everything You Touch FLAC MP3
3.) An Eye for an Empty Heart FLAC MP3
4.) Devil Do FLAC MP3
5.) You Can't Buy A Gun FLAC MP3
6.) Medicine Water FLAC MP3
7.) Time To Go FLAC MP3
8.) Black Night FLAC MP3
9.) Clean In Two FLAC MP3
10.) Just Around The Bend FLAC MP3
11.) Escalator FLAC MP3
12.) Won't Go Out FLAC MP3
13.) Mother Earth FLAC MP3
14.) Jesus Don't Love Me FLAC MP3
15.) Indeed You Do FLAC MP3
16.) Black Heart FLAC MP3
17.) Whoopie Ti Yi Yo FLAC MP3
18.) I Wanna Hug You, Kiss You, Squeeze You FLAC MP3
Text File
FLAC Fingerprint
MD5 Checksum

Autolux 12/20/05 - The Wiltern LG, Los Angeles, CA.

(Photo courtesy of autolux.net)

From the archives.

A few years ago, Autolux was the opener for a pair of infamous back-to-back Queens Of The Stone Age shows at The Wiltern. We here are no strangers to Autolux, having posted an headlining show of theirs at The Fonda a year ago. While my main motivation at the time of attending these shows was for QOTSA, I decided to record Autolux because I had seen them not that long ago opening for QOTSA and Nine Inch Nails, and were a bit familiar with them.

The setlist was pretty standard for an opening set - most of songs were culled from their debut (and only full-length) album Future Perfect. Only a couple of songs were not from the album, including "Reappearing" - which has been rumored to be on their long-delayed sophomore release Transit Transit

Alternatively, the QOTSA sets were re-posted to dimeadozen.org recently - they can be found here (12.19.05) and here (12.20.05) (both require registration to view and download)

1.) Intro FLAC MP3
2.) Instrumental FLAC MP3
3.) Plantlife FLAC MP3
4.) Blanket FLAC MP3
5.) Robots In The Garden FLAC MP3
6.) Capital Kind Of Strain FLAC MP3
7.) Subzero Fun FLAC MP3
8.) Turnstile Blues FLAC MP3
9.) Reappearing FLAC MP3
Text File
Fingerprint
MD5

Letting Up Despite Great Faults 1/04/10 - The Echo, Los Angeles, CA.

(Picture courtesy of Letting Up Despite Great Faults Facebook)

(Sorry for the lack of posts lately - holidays were a busy time for me.)

Last week, Letting Up Despite Great Faults played as part of the line-up for the first night of The French Semester's January residency at The Echo. Originally, I went to see latter band (who I had caught at last year's Eagle Rock Music Festival and was quite impressed); however, by the time they took the stage the audience's conversations were overtaking the music - therefore, I gave up a few songs in. (The Spires were also on this night's bill, and went on first, but their set will not be available due to technical issues)

Letting Up Despite Great Faults fall into the self-described "shoegaze" category as the headlining band, so everything worked out to a certain extent. They recently released their self-titled first full-length album, which made up the majority of this night's setlist. A cover of New Order's "Ceremony" rounded out the show. Recording came out pretty well; however, vocals may be a little low in the mix.

1.) Our Younger Noise MP3
2.) The Colors Aren't You Or Me MP3
3.) I Hear You Drowning But I'm Tied MP3
4.) Pause MP3
5.) Folding Under Stories Told MP3
6.) In Steps MP3
7.) Ceremony (New Order cover) MP3
Text File

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