Bar Band: Rock Band At A Bar!
Thursday, December 6, 2007 5:01PM - By Guest Writer
Folks, if there’s one thing that’s awesome, it’s being a rock star.
Of course most of us are no-talent hacks who couldn’t shred their way out of a paper bag. Thank god for make-believe! I’m referring, of course, to Guitar Hero and more recently Rock Band.
And while rocking out with your loser friends is fun and all, there’s only one thing better: rocking out in front of losers you don’t know.
Well, you’re in luck! There just so happens to be a wonderful little bar in Silverlake that has Rock Band!
Rad! Continue Reading
In 1993 two bands played in front of 25,000 fans at a free concert. Pearl Jam and Tool put together a free show in protest of Ticketmaster’s monopoly over concerts and the high price of tickets. A crappy, undeveloped area of land at the Indio Polo Grounds was chosen to host the event, little did they know that fourteen years later the biggest money making concert event in the United States would be held on that same hollowed ground.
Do you need a break from the rock club scene or local dive bar tonight? Been meaning to check out some culture, perhaps? The Green Umbrella Series, featuring the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group at Walt Disney Concert Hall, is one way to explore classical music’s leading edge. Granted, the idea of “New Music” may sound daunting to a newcomer to the genre; however, much modern music actually remains quite listenable.
Animal CollectiveStrawberry JamDomino Records2007Apparently, I’m a little late to the Animal Collective boat, but as they say “better late than never.”The New York band has been around since 2000, and they’ve been blowing minds ever since.Imagine the most insane anime you’ve ever seen, imagine that scene from pokemon that was giving all those kids seizures, imagine the soundtrack to a toaster on an acid trip while visiting a zoo.That’s animal collective in a nutshell.The sound is at first incredibly chaotic, almost unpleasant. It reminded me of the ridiculous hardcore techno from my rave days, the stuff that was just thumping bass and aggressive sounds, only from a completely rock perspective. If Brian Eno had roid rage, he would have been a member of this band.While there are electronics a-plenty on this album, they’re far from an electronic band. In fact, they generally just defy categorization. It’s a messy jumble of sounds and styles that somehow all coalesces together, as if someone far more intelligent than you was scribbling in a seemingly random manner, yet produced a coherent sketch at the end.In a sense, it’s almost like the free jazz for a new generation, an exploration of sound without any concern given to genre or tradition. These guys are really exploring new territory, and it’s an incredibly interesting journey to partake in.If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, check them out. You’ll learn something new.Here’s the video to “Peacebone,” the first track off the album:
We are lucky to live in L.A. for many reasons. Great weather, good films, the Dodgers, we have it all. And if you are a fan of music, and live concert events, then L.A. will more than likely see your favorite artists come through. If they tour, they stop here. Many great shows came through L.A this past 2007. But we are not yet over. Before Tiesto acts a fool and a god, December will bring music.