Giant Robot Store and GR2 News – Tagged "MW"– Page 35 – GiantRobotStore

beastie boys · bongoloids · fredo ortiz · Music · MW · News · ray barbee · tommy guerrero · villains · yeska · Dec 24, 2012

Meet Fredo Ortiz of Bongoloidz (playing Alex’s Bar on December 27)

I’ve been seeing Fredo Ortiz play amazing arena shows (Beastie Boys at the Velodrome) and special, smaller jams (w/ Tommy Guerrero, Ray Barbee, and Money Mark at HUF) but finally met him at Giant Robot Biennale 3 (above). We’ve kept in touch and bumped into each other here and there, and I was stoked when he jumped at playing Alex’s Bar on December 27. Here’s some scoop on his solo material, his successful Kickstarter campaign, and the gig.

alex's bar · eddie solis · giant robot · it's casual · martin wong · Music · MW · News · Dec 24, 2012

2012 Roundup with It’s Casual (playing Alex’s Bar on December 27)

After my pal Bradley (Flattbush) asked me if I’d be interested in setting up a show at Alex’s Bar, it’s fitting that It’s Casual would headline. I first saw the band earlier this year when they played with DYS and Negative Approach. Man, they were great and I became not only a fan but a friend of singer/guitarist Eddie Solis. How could I not like a guy who channels the work ethic of SST and modern heaviness of Southern Lord (he’s worked for both labels) and sings exclusively about our hometown of Los Angeles both critically and caringly while never forgetting to deliver genuine punk power and head-banging metal riffs.

That the duo would agree to play a small show with little promotion or planning for a buddy says a lot about It’s Casual being cool dudes but also how much they live to rip it up and share their brutal yet positive message. Hope to see you in front on Thursday, December 27.

alex's bar · bongoloidz · eddie solis · fredo ortiz · giant robot · it's casual · long beach · martin wong · Music · MW · News · sandy yang · the red krayola · Dec 23, 2012

Holy crap, I put together a show with It’s Casual, Bongoloidz, and Sandy Yang at Alex’s Bar — THIS THURSDAY!

I’ve had a chance to do some pretty rad things in 2012. In addition to getting to share awesome stuff that my friends do via this Giant Robot blog, I was able to have my filmmaker friends show their skate shorts in Chicago, Honolulu, and Hawaii. That was really cool. Now my friend Brad (from Flattbush) has asked me to help to put together a show at Alex’s Bar. And why not get some of my friends’ awesome bands to play one of my favorite venues? It’s coming together at the last minute but it’s also a very cool lineup, and I hope that a lot you will make it. Here’s what the lineup looks like: IT’S CASUAL – The SST-informed metal duo has been on a huge roll in 2012, first releasing the ripping split 7″ with Early Man and then a bitchin’ new LP, The New Los Angeles II. They recently packed The Troubadour, so I am really honored that Eddie would take his ear-crushing act back to the dive bar where I first saw him opening for Negative Approach. You’ve seen Rick Kosick’s amazing video for “The Red Line,” right? BONGOLOIDZ – I’ve seen Fredo Ortiz play in a variety of combos with the likes of Money Mark, Tommy Guerrero, and Ray Barbee at places likethe HUF warehouse and the Giant Robot Biennale 3. I’ve also seen him at the Beastie Boys, Los Lobos, and The Bronx shows, and he’s probably played in a bunch of other bands that you love. I’m stoked to hear him play his own songs, perhaps giving a preview of the album successfully funded by a recent Kickstarter campaign that I backed. SANDY YANG – Hardcore Giant Robot readers will know that Sandy Yang and I go way back, and that she has actually appeared in the pages of Giant Robot magazine 10 and 12. But she has also contributed to a number of arty and noisy groups, the biggest being The Red Krayola. Although she has written solo material all along, she has just begun to start playing it out and getting a recording together. Her show at The Smell was great, and I’m stoked that the guys in HowardAmb will be backing her up once more. See you in front!

Music · MW · News · Dec 22, 2012

Meet Sandy Yang (playing Alex’s Bar on December 27)

A couple of months ago, a friend of mine informed me that he was booking shows at Alex’s Bar and asked if I wanted to help set up a night. I said, sure, and now it’s actually to happen on Thursday, December 27. It shouldn’t surprise anyone who reads this blog that I’m filling one of my favorite venues with friends. I’m really excited that my friend Sandy Yang will be on the bill. She’s played with the famously conceptual band, The Red Krayola, and various noise combos. But only recently has she been playing as a solo artist. I caught her deconstructed take on rock as a solo artist not too long ago at The Smell, accompanied by the guys in HowardAmb. Here’s your chance to get to know Sandy a little better before she hits a slightly bigger stage next week. MW: I’ve seen you play with a few combos, but have only recently seen you play a solo set. Have you always been writing and playing more individual work? SY: I have always been writing, but before now I only played one solo show in L.A. and that was in the ’90s! Before meeting Mayo Thompson, I was multi-tracking on my 4-track cassette recorder. I approached him to do an independent study at Art Center and that’s how we met and that’s how I got to play in The Red Krayola. The only thing I’ve released solo is a 5-song instrumental EP put out by Sun An on his label CD-Rt. MW: I know you grew up with O.C. punk, but your solo work seems more East Coast to me, with noise and No Wave elements. Where did these come from? And if I’m totally wrong, let me know where I left the tracks. SY: Hmm… I’m not sure. The shows I saw in my youth were post punk and well into the hardcore scene by then, I guess. As for growing up with punk in a historical sense I think that was before my time. But if we’re talking about it in terms of a “punk” sound, I don’t think I embraced O.C. punk or was influenced by it except by certain friends in local bands as individuals. I do remember growing up listening to Black Flag, Descendents, Minutemen, Laughing Hyenas, Bad Brains, Government Issue, Public Enemy… MW: What’s your musical relationship with the HowardAmb guys? How much of their accompaniment is written out or just jams? SY: James Hamblin and Stefan Scott Nelson are the two members in HowardAmb and I’m lucky they are willing to accompany me. What they usually do is very complicated–and highly recommended, by the way–so it’s fun to play something straightforward with them. We played together recently when I opened for their show at The Smell. They’ve been a great help to me adapting my recorded songs into a live set. Much of what’s on the recordings has been omitted to the bare bones of the songs. There hasn’t been much improvising....

black breath · coc · corrosion of conformity · high on fire · king tuff · lovely bad things · Music · MW · News · power of the riff · sun o))) · the echo · the fonda · Dec 21, 2012

Show reviews: Sun O))), High on Fire, Corrosion of Conformity, Black Breath at The Fonda; King Tuff, Lovely Bad Things at The Echo

Dude! My ears are still ringing from just 10 minutes or so of Sun O))) last night. I was pretty beat after seeing Black Breath, C.O.C., and High on Fire, but just had to stay to catch at least some of the headliner’s set. And now my ears and brain are paying the price. But first things first. I finally got to see King Tuff last week.