Monday

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THE SPINTO BAND / FRIGHTENED RABBIT
MINIATURE TIGERS
Echoplex

The Spinto Band || Listen || Watch (9:30pm set time)

With an obvious love of Brit pop, a weakness for ecstatic vocal harmonies and a stimulant-fueled disposition, the six young men twitched, leaped and hurled themselves through a thoroughly entertaining and nearly non-stop set. These boys have played together for a long time, and the practice showed last night in the tight starts and stops and seamless transitions between songs. The band even played a note-perfect instrumental cover of “Genius of Love” as an introduction to one of their originals.

But it was the energy and obvious sense of fun with which the Spinto Band attacked its songs that made the performance so engaging. Dueling frontmen Nick Krill and Thomas Hughes each brought his own unique and quirky personality to the stage. While the lanky Krill ran in place and flopped his hair back and forth, the cartoonish Hughes spasmed with the high notes and donned a clothes-hanger apparatus that allowed him to play his kazoo (yep) hands-free. This was another performance that was so strong and just plain fun that I’ll have to go back to check out the record again (2005’s Nice and Nicely Done was the band’s first widely distributed disc, but its seventh overall). - Westword

with:
Frightened Rabbit || Listen
Miniature Tigers || Listen

@ Echoplex
enter at
1154 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Co-Residency with:
THE WESTERN STATES MOTEL & MARCHING BAND
WRONG WAY DRIVER / 13th HOLE
Spaceland

The Western States Motel || Listen || Watch

Writing, producing, and recording under the name the Western States Motel, California native Carl Jordan’s work is the musical equivalent of that mint on your pillow at the end of the night: low-key, unexpected, and sweet. Mixing shimmery summer sounds with unlikely introspection, Jordan’s songs call to mind the smooth sounds of bands like the Shins and Grandaddy. The mellow “Rows of Homes” trots along effortlessly, the poppy instrumentals a perfect foil to Jordan’s Stephin Merritt-esque deadpan. - Spin

Marching Band (from Sweden) || Listen || Watch

This duo of Erik Sunbring and Jacob Lind play low-key, folk-touched indie pop on “Feel Good About It”, from their forthcoming album produced by Adam Lasus (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Yo La Tengo, Lilys). Sunbring and Lind trade high, close harmonies and reassuring words over a warm, slightly ramshackle backing of acoustic guitar, piano, drums, and light electronic effects, like the Shins sliding down better-fitting chutes. - Pitchfork

with:
Wrong Way Driver
13th Hole (from France)

9pm / FREE / 21+

Weave!

Weave! is composed of Ivory Lee Carlson, Nicole Turley, Phillip Haut, and Bryan Lasley, all Los Angeles natives that have formed quite a unique sound. Something bordering the Moving Units and Blonde Redhead, this group manages to take bits and pieces of bands like that then mold them into their own tune. Gracing bars such as The Echo, The Smell, Mountain Bar and La Cita, this group obviously knows the hot come-up spots for LA indie bands and plans on continuing that path with their full length debut coming out summer of 2009. Big things for Weave!, so be on the look out. Check out their song “Bravery”. I dare you to try not to dance. - URB

Self-styled "French pop" outfit Weave! create an untameable mixture of indiscernible lyrics, wrapping mismatched vocals around charmingly sloppy harmonies. Sure, the Californian crew's tunes are extremely rhythmic (and, at times, deliciously poppy), but their strange mix of guitars, drums, and synth retains a haunting edge. The band eases through a four-week-long residency at the Echo, featuring a slew of worthy guest supporters. – Phil Kropoth

with:
Majestys
Warpaint
White and The Writing

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

AFI Fest
Arclight



The AFI Fest continues its yearly assault on the Arclight with a truly impressive lineup for 2008. Among the highlights are opening-night presentation The Soloist, Joe Wright's story of a homeless musician (Jamie Foxx) trying to find his former classical glory on the streets of LA; closing-night selection Defiance, writer/director Edward Zwick's tale of nature vs Nazis; and the highly anticipated centerpiece, Che, Steven Soderbergh's tribute to the Cuban revolutionary. Other must-sees include The Wrestler, Darren Aronofsky's made-for-Mickey Rourke vehicle about a former professional grappler's return to the ring, and F. Javier Gutierrez's Before the Fall (3 Dias), a devastating sci-fi boiler that imagines the world's last 72 hours through the eyes of a Spanish family, following the news that a meteorite is about to collide with Earth.

– Julian Hooper


NEW CHAPTER FROM MORGAN KIBBY!

M83: Paradiso is Paradiso

[M83's keyboardist-singer Morgan Kibby continues her tour diary. Previous installments here.]



Dear Friends and Family,

Just a small note to let you know that I am writing a tour blog for the next three months while I am traveling and playing with M83 throughout Europe and the US. The blog will be hosted by Kevin Bronson who was a senior music writer and editor for the LA Times. I am thrilled and honored that he asked me to do this. Should you have the time and the inclination to check it out, the link is as follows:

BUZZ BANDS

I hope this email finds you all healthy and happy, and hopefully i will see you while I'm on the road.

Lots of love,

Morgan


Will new WB webisode series 'Rockville, CA' officially ruin Echo Park forever?



If you've ever made the Logan's Run of bars, clubs and cafes on Sunset Boulevard between Alvarado Street and Elysian Park Avenue, and thought it would make for a fine television show, you are hereby deemed hopeless and should be exiled to Brentwood. However, you also are prescient. Such a show is about to become the fictional "The Hills" of Echo Park (don't act like you're somehow above it, you be-moustached kids), and good lord, do they have their ducks in a row on guest appearances. - Pop & Hiss - The L.A. Times music blog


Here's some video I shot of Soko the other night




Industry Insiders: Alexis Rivera, Pied Piper



How did you got your start in Los Angeles, and how did you became such a heavy in Echo Park?

Read the BlackBook article


Echo Park Named One of Top 10 Great Neighborhoods



And when you hear that, you might find yourself asking which Realtor came up with that ranking. Luckily, this time there is some creditability behind the designation: the American Planning Association. They "singled out Echo Park because of its breathtaking topography set in the hills above downtown, historic architecture, pedestrian-oriented streets and stairways, and engaged residents who, over the years, have gone to great lengths to protect and preserve their community," according to an APA release (add: their website has more info and history on why EP was chosen) .... more after you click on the image!


¡¡¡ MARK YOUR CALENDARS !!!


Cult animator and Academy Award nominee Don Hertzfeldt ("the Meaning of Life", "Rejected", "Billy's Balloon") is hitting the road this fall for a rare series of one-night-only events! A selection of Don's classic animated shorts return to the big screen, culminating in the exclusive regional premiere of his brand new film, "I am so proud of you". His longest piece to date, "I am so proud of you" is the eagerly anticipated second chapter to "Everything will be OK", winner of the Sundance Film Festival's Jury Award in Short Filmmaking and named by many critics as one of the "best films of 2007". Every screening will be immediately followed by a live on-stage interview and audience Q+A with Don Hertzfeldt.


SUBMIT YOUR PICTURES!!!

THE MAE-SHI @ Spaceland



THE MOVIES @ Spaceland



DENGUE FEVER @ Viper Room