They came, they saw, they kicked ass.  Phantogram (Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter) performed to a sell-out crowd at the Music Box in Hollywood, CA last night.

Reptar was the opening act and in between sets, there were a few lulls in the music which built up the anticipation. . . . → Read More: Phantogram @ Music Box (11/04/2011)]]>

Sarah Barthel of Phantogram

They came, they saw, they kicked ass.  Phantogram (Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter) performed to a sell-out crowd at the Music Box in Hollywood, CA last night.

Reptar was the opening act and in between sets, there were a few lulls in the music which built up the anticipation. With each lull, the crowd anxiously watched for the curtain to rise until they finally made their way onstage. Sarah was dressed in all black, sporting black leather pants, a black leather jacket, and a black tank top.  As she moved to the music, her face was often hidden behind her trademark bob cut, which only added to her mysterious allure. The duo was joined on stage by only a drummer, which only added to the show’s greatness. Sometimes, a live show just isn’t the same without a drummer.

They played all their hits from Eyelid Movies (which is basically every song – the album is that good) as well as new music from their recently released EP, Nightlife.  I meant to get a pic of the set list, but these two are so hip, they don’t even bother with the usual list taped to the floor.  Monitors on the sides of the stage displayed each song as it was performed.

Aside from a shout out to Justin Timberlake just in case he was in attendance (the band put him on the guest list), their wasn’t much onstage banter. Not that it really mattered though…everyone came for the music, not for storytelling. They played one encore before the all ages crowd left with their hearts and ears satisfied.

Phantogram continues their tour in Phoenix, AZ as they make their way east before the final stop in Vermont.  Visit their facebook page for up to date info.

The former Hotel Cafe waitress touched on subjects as varied . . . → Read More: Meiko @ Hotel Cafe (07/05/2011)]]>
Meiko, a Hotel Cafe regular, made another appearance Tuesday night to a house packed with fans, friends, and family members. Typical of a Meiko performance, the night was filled with many anecdotes in between songs which always makes for a fun night.

The former Hotel Cafe waitress touched on subjects as varied as misunderstood friendship, cursing on stage, and unacceptable fatherly terms of affection. A highlight was when she informed the crowd of tipping etiquette ($1 a drink / 15-20%, people!) and performed a song inspired by a confrontation she had with a poor tipper, aptly named “Ya Gotta F**kin Tip.”

Keep up to date with Meiko’s latest tour dates at http://www.facebook.com/meikomusic.

Upcoming shows:
July 14 – Ventura, CA | Zoey’s Cafe
July 16 – Snoqualmie, WA | Snoqualmie Casino
July 17 – Seattle, WA | Chop Suey
July 18 – Portland, OR | Doug Fir Lounge
July 21 – Thousand Oaks, CA | Open Borders
July 27 – Hermosa Beach, CA | Saint Rocke

Obi Best played an intimate set at Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, CA last night. Frontwoman Alex Lilly was joined onstage by usual band members Wendy Wang and Bram Inscore. Missing was keyboardist Aaron Arntz and drummer Barbara Gruska, but in their place were several guest musicians. Seeing a saxophone player and a flutist . . . → Read More: Obi Best @ Hotel Cafe (03/09/2011)]]>

Obi Best played an intimate set at Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, CA last night. Frontwoman Alex Lilly was joined onstage by usual band members Wendy Wang and Bram Inscore. Missing was keyboardist Aaron Arntz and drummer Barbara Gruska, but in their place were several guest musicians. Seeing a saxophone player and a flutist on stage isn’t typical of an Obi Best show, but it gave the night a classy, unplugged vibe.

Alex spent most of the night at the piano while Bram played upright bass and Wendy sang backup vocals. The set included favorites such as “Swedish Boy,” “Tropical Fish,” and the extremely catchy “It’s Because of People Like You.”

Obi Best’s second album, a four song EP titled Sentimental Education, will be released later this year and includes the songs “Tropical Fish,” “Knock On Any Door,” “To Have Class” and “Man Without A Yes.” It can currently be purchased after their shows. Visit www.obibest.com to hear the EP in its entirety.

More photos follow…

Anna Nalick played in front of a packed house last night as part of her residency at Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, CA.

Though it’s been a while since her last official release, she’s been keeping busy by writing new music. She’s currently working on an album with producer Nathan Chapman (who has . . . → Read More: Anna Nalick @ Hotel Cafe (02/23/2011)]]>

Anna Nalick played in front of a packed house last night as part of her residency at Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, CA.

Though it’s been a while since her last official release, she’s been keeping busy by writing new music. She’s currently working on an album with producer Nathan Chapman (who has also produced Taylor Swift) that’s set to be released this year.

Throughout the night she played several new songs such as “Words”, “The Lullaby Singer” and “Break Me Open.”

In between songs, she read some excerpts from her journal and chatted up the crowd, keeping them engaged throughout the entire night. Halfway into her set, she sat at piano for a few songs and admitted she was still getting used to using the pedals while playing. Knowing her pianist was just off stage, she jokingly admitted feeling a little pressured.

Closing the show with her breakout hit, “Breathe (2 AM)”, Anna proved throughout the night that she’s a singer/songwriter who still has a bright future ahead of her.

Anna Nalick’s residency at Hotel Cafe ends in two weeks, with her final show on Wednesday, March 2nd.

More photos from the show follow..

Battling illness, Esthero played an abbreviated set at last night’s 2 Year Creepshow Anniversary held at Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, CA.

Sitting in a chair in the center of the stage, she kicked things off singing an a capella version of “Superheroes” and then graciously made her way off stage before . . . → Read More: Esthero @ Hotel Cafe (02/19/2011)]]>

Battling illness, Esthero played an abbreviated set at last night’s 2 Year Creepshow Anniversary held at Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, CA.

Sitting in a chair in the center of the stage, she kicked things off singing an a capella version of “Superheroes” and then graciously made her way off stage before the host of the show stopped her.

Despite not wanting to sing too much for fear her vocals would be off, the crowd persuaded her to come back on stage for one more song. She sang a flawless version of “Gone” backed by Ely Rise on piano.

More photos from the show follow.

Sleigh Bells played their first Los Angeles headlining show last night to a sold out crowd at the El Rey Theatre.  The concert had everything those familiar with the group would expect – screaming, dowsing fans with water and stage diving – all courtesy of lead singer Alexis Krauss.

Last night, the Bird and the Bee performed in front of a capacity crowd at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles. Not only was it a rare opportunity to see the band perform songs from the upcoming release, Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates, but . . . → Read More: The Bird and the Bee @ El Rey Theatre (03/05/2010)]]>

Last night, the Bird and the Bee performed in front of a capacity crowd at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles. Not only was it a rare opportunity to see the band perform songs from the upcoming release, Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates, but it would also be the last Bird and the Bee show for a while, due to lead singer Inara George‘s pregnancy.

From the moment Inara walked on stage, it was obvious that pregnancy didn’t hinder her sense of style, as she was dressed in a fashionable, form-fitting dress. Overwhelmed by the turnout, Inara thanked everyone in attendance, as it marked only their second sold out show in Los Angeles. In a fitting tribute, the show was dedicated to T-Bone Wolk, longtime bass player, collaborator and friend of Hall & Oates who passed away earlier in the week.

The band kicked things off with “Rich Girl” and proceeded to play some classic Hall & Oates as well as a few classics of their own including “Polite Dance Song”, “My Love” and “Again and Again.” The mother-to-be’s willingness to dance onstage revealed that pregnancy didn’t hinder her sense of stage presence either, as she later confessed that her husband thought she may be dancing around a bit too much.

Backing Greg and Inara were the usual cast of characters, Willow Geer, Alex Lilly, Wendy Wang and Juliette Commagere (who also opened the show with her own set), as well as Justin Meldal-Johnsen on bass and Aaron Redfield on drums. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any better, surprise guest John Oates, one half of the iconic, multi-plantinum duo, Hall & Oates, joined the band on stage to perform “She’s Gone,” “Maneater,” and “I Can’t Go For That.”

Weren’t able to make it to the show? Check out http://www.livestream.com/thebirdandthebee/ where the show was streamed live and is now archived.

Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates is due in stores on March 23rd. Inara is due on April 30th.

Set List
Rich Girl
Love Letter to Japan
Private Eyes
Sara Smile
Again & Again
F*cking Boyfriend
Heard It On The Radio – original song from new album
Kiss On My List
Man
My Love
Diamond Dave
Polite Dance Song
She’s Gone (w/ John Oates)
Maneater (w/John Oates)
I’m A Broken Heart
I Can’t Go For That (w/John Oates)

Emiliana Torrini played to a packed house at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, August 19, 2009.  For close to two hours, Emiliana and her band treated the captive audience to a wide variety of her catalog, including “Sunny Road,” “Jungle Drum,” “Me And Armini,” and “Heard It All . . . → Read More: Emiliana Torrini @ El Rey Theatre (06/19/2009)]]>

Emiliana Torrini played to a packed house at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, August 19, 2009.  For close to two hours, Emiliana and her band treated the captive audience to a wide variety of her catalog, including “Sunny Road,” “Jungle Drum,” “Me And Armini,” and “Heard It All Before” (not on the set list).  She was in a very jovial mood, perhaps because of the El Rey’s ambiance.  She admitted that it felt great to play at such a Presidential-looking venue (complete with a red velvet interior, chandeliers and a balcony area in the back).  The sound and lighting was equally impressive, making it her best L.A. performance to date.

At her March 2009 performance at the Troubadour (click here for a review of the show), she mainly performed songs from Fisherman’s Woman and her newest release, Me and Armini.   This time around, she took fans for a brief trip down memory lane, singing several classic tracks from Love in the Time of Science, such as “Unemployed in Summertime” and “Tuna Fish.”  She expressed a bit of apprehension before singing “To Be Free”, letting out a sigh of relief after she realized it was still a fan favorite.  It’s hard to believe the album was released ten years ago, because the songs still sound great.

Emiliana kept the crowd engaged with several amusing anecdotes between songs.  One highlight of the night was during her intro of “Me and Armini.”  An audience member near the front vocally expressed that the story was going on a bit long.  Intended or not, Emiliana heard it and playfully put her hands on her hips and reminded the heckler that she has the microphone.  The crowd loved it.

Although the show marked the end of her North American mini-tour, she will be touring Europe this fall.  Visit her official website, www.emilianatorrini.com for tour dates.

Opening for Emiliana Torrini was Anya Marina.  Photos from her performance will be posted later in the day.

Last night, the Bird and the Bee (Inara George and Greg Kurstin) were in their natural habitat, as they played an outdoor show at Descanso Gardens in La Canada, CA. The show was open to all ages, so fans both young and old were on hand to view the Main Lawn performance.