Brooklyn Vegan and Spin know how to entertain a Who’s Who crowd, providing excellent cocktails for parched patrons at an intimate listening party at Sonos Studio in Los Angeles. Up-and-comers IO Echo and Hundred Waters provide short and sweet sets, with soothing backbeats from DJ Groundislava between sets: West Hollywood salon mood music galore. For onlookers’ visual pleasure, the walls are lined with streams of various Brooklyn Vegan photos of current artists– most were from their respective Coachella performances from earlier this year.
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By Rachel Zimmerman Posted in Reviews, Show Reviews hundred waters, IO Echo
Portugal. the Man’s highly anticipated new album Evil Friends inspired artists The Fantastic The and INSA and photographer/producer Danger Mouse to create a psychedelic visual art installation experience. Presented by Tumblr and sponsored by Red Bull, this soirée provided choice Ketel One cocktails and a short, sweet, albeit optically fascinating experience.
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By Rachel Zimmerman Posted in Reviews, Show Reviews Danger Mouse, insa, Portugal. The Man, the fantastic the, tumblr
After a two-year absence from Los Angeles, alternative rockers The Antlers ambitiously returned to the stage at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Indie electronic pop duo Chairlift opened the evening with their dreamy dance tunes. As unlikely as it sounds, their music is best described as time-traveling ghost fairy tales. Their songs make you feel like you’re floating and running all at the same time. A sense of urgency comes to mind, and the need to arrive somewhere immediately is consuming. Singer/keyboardist Caroline Polachek has a gentle voice that gets surprisingly heavy on occasion. Along with four female backup singers decked in all black like the Witches of Eastwick, Chairlift dove straight into megahit “Amanaemonesia” to close out their set.
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By Rachel Zimmerman Posted in Reviews, Show Reviews Chairlift, The Antlers, Walt Disney Concert Hall
Ring the alarm! Django Django killed it at LA’s renowned Fonda Theatre Saturday night. This was the last stop on their US tour and they were undeniably honored to play the world-famous venue. Though they received less favorable reviews from a few onlookers, the general consensus was that the show was a pleasurable experience.
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By Rachel Zimmerman Posted in Reviews, Show Reviews Django Django, vincent neff
As the week of music festivities came to a climactic end, the sun set on Austin Music Hall; and hundreds of 20-somethings attended Perez Hilton’s 6th Annual One Night in Austin showcase. The lineup promised a diverse group of artists from Wynter Gordon and Charlie XCX to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Brooke Candy, and even special surprise guest Fall Out Boy.
The night kept a steady quick pace as artists stuck to their hits with short sets. In between bands, DJ Jeffrey Donnesen spun remixes of electro-pop hits from artists like Afrojack, La Roux, and Icona Pop.
Charlie XCX was magical with sporty dance moves, but Capital Cities was by far the first highlight of the night. Looking fresh clad in their typical highlighter yellow blazers across the board, the boys brought a new wave of flare to the stage. They only stayed long enough to play a few songs including a cover of the Bee Gees’ “Staying Alive” which got the entire floor jumping and singing along. After hearing “Safe and Sound,” the night only got better.
Wynter Gordon came to the scene ready to roll, although she did not take the expected pop top 40s route with a full band or DJ backing her singing. An acoustic set was a curious approach, but delightful all the same to hear her take another avenue with her music. Her deep voice vibrated throughout the building. When she played “Dirty Talk,” the buzzing crowd was receptive.
Next up was Lissie who didn’t necessarily present anything new, but still delivered some decent live tunes to perpetuate the night’s light mood. Her slow cover of Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness” confused some, but delighted others. The eager audience filled out by the time Paloma Faith went on. Her lively demeanor elated everyone. The entire upper level rose to their feet and sang along. As per usual, Perez delivered a night full of dance, drinks, and fun. Can’t wait to see what his 7th showcase brings to Austin.
By Rachel Zimmerman Posted in Reviews SXSW 2013 Live
VEVO’s TV Control Room has housed several promising musicians this year. Friday night’s concert presented yet another talented artist – Fallulah. She kicked off her showcase with “Deserted Homes.” Her ethereal voice beckoned people inside. Tambourine, soft snare, and light claps built a smooth, darker sound reminiscent of KT Tunstall. Even though she found the sweetest sounding way to say something rather depressing in “He’ll Break Up With You When Summer Comes,” she still kept the mood breezy and upbeat. Hearing her play all her new songs including “Thirteenth Cigarette” all while flipping her hair and gyrating around the tiny stage was exciting. The modest crowd was ultimately pleased when she ended the night with her first ever US single and fan favorite “Outlet.” With such a charming demeanor, Fallulah delivers a vibrant, endearing set that’s worth catching.
By Rachel Zimmerman Posted in Reviews SXSW 2013 Live
Newsflash! The 80s are back. Alternative electro-rockers Diamond Rings brought a taste of the Depeche Mode with a young modern flare to Lustre Pearl for Filter’s Dickies Day Party. Starting off the show strong with “Runaway Love” set the standard for the day. The singer’s deep, dry monotone voice combined with the synth drums, killer keys and raunchy guitar created an electronic-fused rock sound that was so inviting. Reminiscent of the Ramones and The Strokes, these Canadian boys have a lot to offer to the music world – feeding the void for edgier indie rock that scratches your face raw. They splashed in their hit “A to Z” which exposed so much of their talent. Echo guitars, black leather, spikes, and Ray Bans across the board only added to their flare. Diamond Rings finished off their set with their ultra-danceable pop song “Something Else.” If they are trying to turn back time, then history repeated itself in all the right ways today.
By Rachel Zimmerman Posted in Reviews SXSW 2013 Live
The electro-pop songstresses Icona Pop are certainly making an impact on the music world this year. With a song nod from HBO’s hit show GIRLS and several appearances scheduled for the year, it’s no wonder that Warner picked them up to grace their stage for SXSW. Lines wrapped around the corner and fans waited in line for hours to experience a night of indie electronic wonderment under the stars. Positively dancey and energetic, the girls proved to be the ultimate crowd pleasers. The combo of their airy voices and fast slap-you-in-the-face beats is nothing shy of seductive and exciting. Icona ended their set bringing in an unexpected special guest – Charlotte Church – to sing a karaoke version of their major hit “I Love It.” Not the best choice, but what their finale lacked in gumption, the rest of their set made up for in powerful smooth dance mixes. Hopefully the rest of their SX appearances are as strong as their start.
By Rachel Zimmerman Posted in Reviews SXSW 2013 Live
The perfect way to start off Austin’s annual ruckus of a music conference South by Southwest was at Hype Machine’s Hype Hotel tucked away in a little new warehouse space within the Whitley in the heart of downtown Austin. Complete with an endless array of free drinks and Taco Bell yums, the party promised a festive night. Passion Pit took to the stage fresh and ready to charge. All though the acoustics of the space were less favorable, they managed to please a large crowd of earlybirds blasting through “I’ll Be Alright,” “Carried Away,” and “Moth’s Wings.” Without fail, they touched on fan favorites “Take a Walk” and “Cry Like a Ghost.” Ending the night with “Little Secrets” was icing on the cake. Witnessing an epic indie electronic favorite in such an intimate underground setting assured that this SXSW has a lot to offer.
By Rachel Zimmerman Posted in Reviews SXSW 2013 Live
Last night, KCRW presented the first Berkley Street Session of the year with indie rockers Airborne Toxic Event. This was a rather charming, intimate evening – the white wine was chilled, the room was dark, albeit inviting, and the audience was eager. Upon entry, guests were informed that the night would provide a modest live set and an interview with the band. The LA natives took to the spotlight like champs, breaking straight into their set. It was obvious they all felt very at home on stage. Their music is sincere and easy to follow. Simple lyrics speak to the masses and catchy hooks never hurt a listener either. Singer Mikel Jollett mentioned how a few songs were written. For instance, before playing “Wishing Well,” he relayed that this is an “I was sad and poor” song, but he admitted “now I own a house,” and shrugged. These instances connected the audience with the band, igniting little chuckles throughout the dim room. Moments like this reminded us that even rockstars can still keep it real.
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By Rachel Zimmerman Posted in Reviews, Show Reviews airborne toxic event, SXSW
