Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
King Buzzo played his first ever acoustic set at the Satellite last night and it was amazing. I really didn’t know what to expect when Scion announced the free show. Would it be Melvins Lite light? Were marshmallows going to be provided for “Kumbaya” moments? No way. It was heavy as shit, with Buzzo singing as if he heard the bone-crushing music of the Melvins in his fuzzy head while trying to break his acoustic axe’s unorthodox-tuned strings with every stroke. The badass set started with a super dark Alice Cooper cover and ended with my favorite Japanese psychedelic doom metal band’s namesake song, “Boris.” Somewhere in the middle of the show he previewed a cut off his upcoming album and surveyed a bunch of Melvins tunes. It was great. You had to be there–or not. There was a ton of SLR-wielding dudes filming the event so you should be able to check it out on the Scion AV site one of these days… Props to Tweak Bird for playing a far-out opening set. I arrived half-way through and was stuck in the back of the room, too far to take photos, but they ripped. BONUS REVIEWS You might have noticed that the GR site went down a week or so ago. Here are some friends’ shows that were casualties but need to be on this blog… Dum Dum Girls record release show at The Echo on January 28. I like the new LP but the new songs sound even better with the proper band propelled by my pal Sandy Vu’s killer chops and beats. Killer set of psychedelic pop goth with an extra dude added for bonus texture. I expect this lineup to be out of their collective minds by the time they hit Coachella. A Minor Forest at The Satellite on February 8. Back in the day, drummer Andee Conners stayed at my house with J Church, P.E.E., and this band, A Minor Forest, which just got back together for some reunion shows. They were tighter, heavier, and more mathy than ever. Perhaps more fun, too. So great to seeing him and the dudes in action and hanging out on the sidewalk, as well as opener Rob Crow. Kevin Seconds at Amoeba Hollywood on February 13. Okay, I don’t personally know the singer from 7 Seconds but Eloise is now part of the youth crew after attending the in-store commemorating his great new solo album. Accompanied by his wife Allyson and Kepi Ghoulie, the new songs aren’t meandering singer-songwriter stuff but brief, earnest bursts of energy that rip. Sound familiar? Save Music in Chinatown 2 on February 9 at Human Resources. Our fundraising has now reached about $7,500 to put toward music education at Castelar Education in Chinatown. The lineup of our second benefit matinee was a dream for me: DJ Adam Bomb from KXLU’s Bomb Shelter played first-generation L.A. punk and hardcore (Weirdos, Circle Jerks, X, Dils, Adolescents…) complemented by vintage 7″ singles from my friends from...
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Photo: Ben Clark
I would have written about Sunday’s Save Music in Chinatown matinee at Human Resources earlier but I’ve been busy writing thank-you letters to friends, helpers, and supporters. The first DIY benefit gig that my wife and I organized to raise funds to pay for music education at our daughter’s school, Castelar Elementary, was awesome and Bob Forrest was a perfect start.
Photo: Ben Clark
I would have written about Sunday’s Save Music in Chinatown matinee at Human Resources earlier but I’ve been busy writing thank-you letters to friends, helpers, and supporters. The first DIY benefit gig that my wife and I organized to raise funds to pay for music education at our daughter’s school, Castelar Elementary, was awesome and Bob Forrest was a perfect start.
Last Monday night I was a guest on one of my favorite Internet radio shows, Los Angeles Nista. In each episode host Eddie Solis (who is also the shredder/singer in It’s Casual) delves into a specific neighborhood of his hometown, and this time our focus was Chinatown. I talked about eating tomato beef chow mein and drinking Sunkist soda there as a kid, as well as the area’s unmatched punk past and current art scene. While the conversation always returned to the Save Music in Chinatown concert series that my wife and I are starting, there was also talk about Los Angeles sports teams, skateboarding, public transportation, and Giant Robot mag. You can stream or download the entire episode for free at the Los Angeles Nista site, and it’s pretty funny. It’s also pretty rockin’. I made three short playlists of songs with bands that I associate with the neighborhood (X, Weirdos, Dils, No Age), groups with members that have been supportive of Save Music in Chinatown (The Zeroes, OFF!, Channel 3), and music by December 6 co-headliner Bob Forrest (Thelonious Monster, The Bicycle Thief). I brought songs by The Go-Go’s and Plugz, too, but there just wasn’t enough time… Since last week, there have been additions to the inaugural show’s lineup. Ex-Dirty Projectors member Angel Deradoorian has just finished touring with Animal Collective and wants to participate. Also, DJs from KCHUNG radio will be pitching in between acts. Pretty cool. Check out the updated flyer below and if you plan on going/supporting on December 6, you can buy tickets via Eventbrite. It’s cheaper that way and you can also get a deal on raffle tickets for some pretty rad items, as well. Prizes from the likes of Best Coast, Daniel Wu, Shizu Saldamando, Philippe The Original, and the Dodgers are listed on Eventbrite and the Facebook event page, too. Give the episode a listen and hope to see you at the show!
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Last Monday night I was a guest on one of my favorite Internet radio shows, Los Angeles Nista. In each episode host Eddie Solis (who is also the shredder/singer in It’s Casual) delves into a specific neighborhood of his hometown, and this time our focus was Chinatown. I talked about eating tomato beef chow mein and drinking Sunkist soda there as a kid, as well as the area’s unmatched punk past and current art scene. While the conversation always returned to the Save Music in Chinatown concert series that my wife and I are starting, there was also talk about Los Angeles sports teams, skateboarding, public transportation, and Giant Robot mag. You can stream or download the entire episode for free at the Los Angeles Nista site, and it’s pretty funny. It’s also pretty rockin’. I made three short playlists of songs with bands that I associate with the neighborhood (X, Weirdos, Dils, No Age), groups with members that have been supportive of Save Music in Chinatown (The Zeroes, OFF!, Channel 3), and music by December 6 co-headliner Bob Forrest (Thelonious Monster, The Bicycle Thief). I brought songs by The Go-Go’s and Plugz, too, but there just wasn’t enough time… Since last week, there have been additions to the inaugural show’s lineup. Ex-Dirty Projectors member Angel Deradoorian has just finished touring with Animal Collective and wants to participate. Also, DJs from KCHUNG radio will be pitching in between acts. Pretty cool. Check out the updated flyer below and if you plan on going/supporting on December 6, you can buy tickets via Eventbrite. It’s cheaper that way and you can also get a deal on raffle tickets for some pretty rad items, as well. Prizes from the likes of Best Coast, Daniel Wu, Shizu Saldamando, Philippe The Original, and the Dodgers are listed on Eventbrite and the Facebook event page, too. Give the episode a listen and hope to see you at the show!
Continue reading