Concert Reviews:

March 13^th, 2008 @ TROUBADOUR, West Hollywood, CA

Hip Hop artist and master of lyrics BROTHER ALI, is the best storyteller not to be on a major record label. And maybe that’s why he’s so good at what he does. He resides on the indie label Rhyme Sayers and he proudly admits, thru his lyrics, that is why he has grown, positively, as an artist. Although he hasn’t achieved massive commercial success like a Jay-Z or Kanye West, he’s able to control all of his work and shape his musical destiny by staying independent and free of the corporate bull*hit that most ‘big’ record companies forcefully lay on musicians. And I would argue he’s better than any of the commercial rappers on the radio today. Yes! I’m for real

I stumbled, literally, upon the music of Brother Ali late in ’07 at the UCLA radio station while on the air during my own show (JokerPace Radio Hour). His current CD, The Truth is Here, was nestled comfortably on the top row of our New Music File and I randomly picked it up to look at the cover and read the review and because our music department at the station does such a great detailed job of explaining what’s on each and every CD, I was compelled to throw it on and I immediately fell in love with his production and lyrical content. Tracks like Pedigree, Daylight, Freedom ain’t Free off the Truth is Here CD and his 2003 release Shadows on the Sun (I bought this at the concert and I’ve been playing it non-stop) also has a plethora of content bangers like Room with a View, Champion, Shadows on the Sun and Picket Fence to name a few. His producers are sharp, original and timely, they compliment Ali’s voice flow well and with Ali’s ability to write with a beginning, middle and end the music sounds like you’re hearing it for the very first time no matter how many times you listen to the tracks

Now I know I’ve talked about everything but the concert up to this point but I had to give u some background on this artist before I went into this show. That’s how thoroughly impressed I am. He’s a spiritual guy and seemingly a good guy at heart; it’s all spelled out in his music. And I would be remised if I didn’t mention his unique physicality. He’s an Albino! I’ve seen and met just a few albinos in my lifetime so it’s quite the experience to see one up close, especially when that person is on stage rocking a crowd. After listening to his CD for months I expected nothing but a good-solid show from Ali and that’s what he gave. It wasn’t heavily over-produced or littered with elaborate props and distractions but it was just good enough to keep you pleased visually while focusing on what Ali does best, delivering his stories to the masses abroad. The audience was hanging on his every word as he smoothly transitioned from songs off both of his full length releases and a EP he put out in 2005. Brother Ali is a heavy-set guy who dresses in casual hip gear and on occasion will bust a dance move when motivated. He’s not shy and u can tell he’s very confident in his act and material. He’s no neophyte; he’s been in the ‘game’ for some time now and you can tell by his stage presence. Most of the crowd in attendance was more aware of his earlier work and career as proof of their excitement once they heard just a few chords off the beginning of each song. But that didn’t stop me from enjoying myself; I highly recommend you check this Brother Ali out when he’s in your time. As his album title suggest, The Truth is Here! www.myspace.com/BrotherAli

-DJ JokerPace

Electronica / Indie / Other

I know this sounds like an April Fools joke but it's not, I went to the Digitalism concert at the El Rey Theatre on April 1st and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Prior to a few days before the show I had never heard of this electronica/house 2-man group from Germany but that didn't stop me from joining my good friend (who was a fan of the group and has been since the group dropped it's first CD 'Idealism' in early '07) on a uncharted journey to the land of drum and bass. Digitalism have been around for quite some time despite just dropping their first full length LP last year. Digitalism has remixed tracks for Tom Vek, The Futureheads, Daft Punk, Tiga, Klaxons, White Stripes, Monk, Depeche Mode, Cut Copy and many others, including a re-edit of "Fire in Cairo" by The Cure (entitled "Digitalism in Cairo"…this track was a favorite during the show, the crowd went extra krazy)

I'm a person of eclectic music taste so it's never out of the ordinary for me to go to a concert of an artist(s) I've never heard of or just found out about. But of course the danger in that is you can really come up on some crappy performances but fortunate for me this time was not the case. Digitalism was fantastic and overwhelming to say the least. Upon hitting the stage they immediately hit the crowd with their trademark electro/house sound and the whole venue was jumping. The mostly under 21 crowd were out of their mind with excitement and marijuana! I was thoroughly impressed with Digitalism's energy and their total stage show (they were on-stage for an hour and 15 minutes); they had a mostly instrumental set but they threw in lyrics and impromptu solo dance moves to keep everyone sharp and enthusiastic. If you get a chance to check them out at a venue near you, don't hesitate, their worth the price of admission 

–DJ JokerPace 

November 9, 2007-The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA

Within these last 3-4 years Maya Arulpragasam otherwise known as M.I.A has brought a revolutionary message to her straight forward lyrics and dancing beats.  Her new release Kala has just that and more. It’s no wonder that she was able to sell out the Wiltern. The show opened with Illinois based rap group The Cool Kids, they were just the group to get the crowd up and going for M.I.A.  After the very long wait, the crowd roared the instant that “Bamboo Banga” intro started. The lights turned off and the stage lights went on accompanied by the background graphics that unveiled the cover art to Kala perfectly synchronized to every beat of “Bamboo Banga”.  As soon as she began to perform the audience roared once again for M.I.A. She appeared in an eccentric bright silver colored baseball cap that matched her silver holographic mix-matched outfit and a sequent zipper hoodie. The concert was captivating from the music, to the background graphics, to the back-up dancers/singers, and the audience.  Her set included “10 Dollar”, “Galang” “Bucky Done Gone”, “U.R.A.Q.T”, and songs from her latest album such as “Bird Flu”, “20 Dollar”, “Jimmy”, “Paper Planes”, and “Boyz”.  Looking around at the diverse crowd there was not one person sitting still. One of the highlights of the show was M.I.A inviting theaudience to come up on stage during “Bird Flu” (unfortunately fighting off security guards was not enough to land a spot on stage with M.I.A). Although I and friend missed that opportunity the show was amazing anyway. She is a great performer so if anyone has a chance to see her in concert do not miss her, listening to any of her albums will do just fine in the meantime.

-Gloria Negrete

April 30, 2007 - Ex_Plex, Los Angeles CA

The Ex_Plex, nestled underneath the Echo, Echo Park’s venerable, seedy concert venue, has always been good to me. More spacious that its upstairs neighbor, the Ex_Plex was the right choice for what went down on Monday, April 30th. For weeks I had been receiving e-mails from Steve Aoki and his record label, Dim Mak, telling me to buy tickets for the Dim Mak/Ed Banger show. I should have recognized the show’s major flaw right from the get-go: disorganization.The flyer was overflowing with DJs—eventually, they just stopped adding names and created text addendums in the e-mail bodies and subjects.  Ed Banger is a French electro record label; the manager, producer, etc. of it is the DJ Busy P, manager of electronica duos Daft Punk and  Justice. His name caught my eye when the show was first announced, but what officially sold me was the e-mail I got several weeks after the first, announcing a “special guest” had been added. I immediately decoded the message: JUSTICE WOULD BE PLAYING IN L.A.!  (To those not in the know: Justice is on Ed Banger Records, and the cross if their symbol).

The show started at 9 as Guns n’ Bombs, DJ Them Jeans, and Blake Miller (the gaunt lead singer of Moving Units) got the crowd moving. I was at the front of the stage, and we were all going nuts; there was room to dance as hard as we wanted, and trust me, we did. The changes were quick, of course, since the only equipment was laptops; the crowd, however, still found time to shout “Justice!!!” every time. Steve Aoki was supposed to DJ for half an hour, but due to some   unclear technical difficulties, he was replaced by Jesse (one half of MSTRKRFT and a member of (R.I.P.) Death From Above 1979) after about ten minutes. Jesse spun quickly, and the show began to take a turn owards hip-hop, especially with the groups 8 Track and Pase Rock that followed.          

At 11 PM, the Ed Banger crew stormed the stage; subsequently, the crowd surged forward—and stayed there. I was still at the foot of the stage, but I could not see what was happening onstage for the life of me (I was too busy trying to remain standing). So Me, Mehdi, Busy P, and Justice were all there, but I do not know if there were more. They all stayed onstage together and switched off DJing—this is where we come back to the evening’s fatal flaw, disorganization. Many people later said that they didn’t even realize Justice was playing, because the format was so confusing. Once crowd surfing started, I knew I couldn’t stay with the big boys in the thick of things, and I actually fell asleep on some vinyl couches in the back. My friends awoke me an hour later, looking very haggard and sopping wet.  We all agreed that the evening was a success, but it went on a little too long, and the French DJ free-for-all at the end could have been structured better.

-Rachel Alonso 

February 23, 2007 - University of California, Los Angeles Ackerman Grand Ballroom

Coming off of one of the year’s best hip hop albums, “Heroes in the City of Dope,” Zion I & The Grouch put on a performance that left even those who hadn’t heard of them pleading for more. They went on stage on time, with a lot of energy and pure excitement to be performing for long time fans as well as new ones. With DJ Amp Live controlling the turntables, they were on par with every beat and every rhyme. They definitely put on a show, with something different for every song. Whether it was asking the audience to take out their electronics for their song “Digital Dirt” which is about how technology is killing our simple way of life, or asking the crowd to wave their hands in the air to the beat of the song; they definitely got the audience involved. DJ Amp Live got the crowd into it with his mixing and had everyone in shock and awe from his turntable skills. Zion I also performed old favorites such as “Finger Paint” and “Silly Putty.”  They had an hour long set to perform, and perform they did, as they took advantage of every minute. You could tell their show was well rehearsed, in a good way, keeping it organized and having it flow. Nevertheless, they left room for improvisation as they began to freestyle. Furthermore, the venue was nearby, making it easy for students to check out the performance and head back to their apartments or dorms at a reasonable time. Overall, a great show by two of undergrounds up and coming rappers.

-Vishal Vibhaker 

March 11, 2007 - House of Blues, West Hollywood, CA

People Under the Stairs are an underground hip hop group from Los Angeles. It is comprised of two self-proclaimed b-boys, Thes One and Double K. These guys definitely represented for Los Angeles, as they cited fellow Southern California hip hop artists, and gave respect to those that came before them. With high energy, explosive beats, and intricate lyrics these guys not only knew how to put on a show, but were more than talented enough to do it. If you’ve never heard of them, or are not that familiar with their music, it will not matter for they will get you bouncing your head and waving your hand to their ridiculous style. Thes One provided the fast paced lyricism and Double K kept it steady with his head banging style similar to the way Cypress Hill does it. Without the help of a DJ, they put on a show that was fun and entertaining. What more could you ask for? They added comedic twists, mixed on the turntable a little here and there, and of course freestyled over raw beats. This is a band worth checking out. They are bringing back underground hip hop, and giving Los Angeles the respect it deserves and has lacked in the past couple of years. The most important feature of their show was the appreciation they had for other artists and especially for the fans.

 -Vishal Vibhaker

February 23, 2007 - University of California, Los Angeles Ackerman Grand Ballroom

“Wu Tang Clan Ain’t Nothing To F*** With!” That’s all you can say when the Wu, or even a member of Wu performs, because they are simply legends. However, Ghostface Killah’s performance at UCLA was anything but legendary. Coming off of his hit album “More Fish,” Ghostface Killah’s performance was highly anticipated. Having one of the best year’s of his career, due to his release of “Fishscales” just before that, Ghostface was on a high that he didn’t seem to be close of coming down from. However, would this success translate into a great performance? I think not. Waiting for an artist who is late is not that bad of a thing when the artist puts on a good show, but when the show wasn’t even worth the wait, then you know something’s wrong. Luckily for him, being a part of Wu, he’s expected to be late. As he got on stage, with at least 5 other people, neither of which was from the Wu, he woke the crowd up that was restless from waiting, and came out with a lot of energy. From the time he performed, which seemed like nothing longer than 30 minutes of what was supposed to be an hour long set, he performed his lines of a handful of old Wu Tang songs, an Old Dirty Bastard Song as a tribute, a few songs from his “Supreme Clientele” album, a few songs from his “Fishscales” album (and when I say a few, I mean like 2), and Nas’ “If I Ruled the World” which I still can’t seem to figure out why. The rest of the show, it seemed as if he was looking for ways to waste time. At one point he had a freestyle competition by bringing a couple of guys on stage to battle. There’s nothing wrong with that, except the fact that I came to see him, not some random students. During another part of the show, he brought on stage a bunch of girls and had them dance with him, provocatively might I say, on stage for quite some time. And that was it, that was the show. The venue was perfect, the location was perfect, but Ghostface didn’t take advantage of it.

-Vishal Vivhaker

March 11, 2007 - House of Blues, West Hollywood, CA

EPMD is an American rap group from Brentwood, New York, active from 1987 to 1999; one of the prominent acts in East coast hip hop. The group's name is an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referencing its members: rappers Erick Sermon ("E Double") and Parrish Smith ("PMD").

The last time they performed at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood was over 10 years ago with Slick Rick and Keith Murray. Just by that, you know that this was going to be a special performance. The venue was perfect as the House of Blues provides an intimate atmosphere, but at the same time brings you the energy of stadium performance. Unlike most hip hop concerts out there, this one feature a lot of older fans who were there when EPMD came to its rise in the late eighties. When Erick Sermon and Parish Smith came out on stage, both sporting all black jumpsuit pants, and an all black hoodie, the fans went crazy. Erick, not so much as excited as Parish, surveyed the crowd with his hands in his pockets and a stern look on his face. While Parish, came out with a lot of energy and a big smile, excited about the show. It was as if Erick was not sure how the show would go, and wanted to see if the people in hall were true fans or not. However, the show had to go on, and the artists started it off by taking us back to 1987 to perform “Strictly Business.” That’s when the crowd went wild, jumping up and down while voicing the words of the song verbatim. I guess that was enough for Erick’s approval, as he began to get into it and realized that these guys who came out for the show were definitely true fans. They finished the show by performing classic hits such as “Headbanger,” “Crossover,” and “Rampage” among others. However, you couldn’t have an EPMD show with out a surprise guest, it was just a matter of who it was going to be.

Well EPMD did not let down, and brought out old school legends Das EFX. Most of the crowd did not recognize them until they heard the beat of “They Want EFX” and began to rap along. Just when you thought it was over, EPMD brought out Redman to shock and awe the crowd. The concert was overall one of the best shows I’ve ever been to. It had everything you could ask for: a great performance by legends EPMD, surprise guests of Das EFX and Redman, and an intimate feeling with the performers due to the size of the venue.

-Vishal Vibhaker 

February 20, 2007 - Bruin Plaza, University of California, Los Angeles, CA  

Coming straight out of Oakland, Crown City Rockers definitely represented in Southern California. With an outdoor venue, they had the entire campus thinking, these guys definitely have talent. A hip hop band with a style that resembles The Roots and A Tribe Called Quest, one thing can be said about the Crown City Rockers, they are definitely entertainers. Performing various tracks off their album “Earthtones” as well as some of their new stuff; they had fans and first time listeners bumping their head to this fresh sound. They came out with a lot of energy as lead singer Raashan Ahmad got the show started with his intricate lyricism and upbeat vocals. Woodstock on procussions kept the beat going and had everyone bumping their head to his sick style. Headnodic provided the support to the complex sounds on his bass and with his backup vocals. Max MacVeety on drums had you wanting more, especially during his solo where those across campus ditched class to come watch. Kat Ouano had all the b-girls cheering as she took care of business on keyboard, providing that smooth jazz that a lot of hip hop acts often lack and could use. Overall the show was amazing, their live band brought out random heads who wouldn’t normally come to this sort of show. Whether you like them or not, you can definitely say they were performers. With bits and pieces of comedic humor throughout the show, as well as solo acts of each artist, they put together an incredible ensemble. The best of which had to be the battle between MC Raashan and drummer Max who went at it with a freestyle vs. drum battle. However, it got really interesting when they reversed roles, proving that these guys are real musicians who can do it all.

-Vishal Vibhaker 

Artist: Flogging Molly

Album: Whiskey on a Sunday 

Blending traditional Irish instrumentation and melodies with modern punk, Flogging Molly has become one of the more popular bands who have sprouted from the Celtic rock genre. With an accordion, guitar, banjo, fiddle, and percussion piled on top of each other, the band creates stunning chorus melody, and once heard, incites involuntary whistling and even a little bit of dancing. This has been true for all of the previous Flogging Molly recordings and is not necessarily false for Whiskey on a Sunday, however, it is safe to say that the new release will not attract many new Flogging Molly fans. Judging it as a CD release, I was disappointed for it only includes one new song (Laura) and most of the re-recorded tracks are downplayed (for example, the acoustic version of Drunken Lullabies). It is important, however, to view the CD as an accompanying soundtrack to the Whiskey on a Sunday documentary. The DVD is very much worth buying this release. The DVD is not just a compilation of live footage and interviews; it is a full-length documentary on the complex stories of seven music loving individuals. It includes the story of a great Irish punk band and how they came to be, commentaries from the band members on each others stories, commentaries from fans, and intertwined sequences of  live performances. As I watched the DVD, I could hear the songs from the CD in the background and it made sense why they were re-recorded the way they were. They all fit in perfectly to the mood of specific parts of the documentary.

So if you’re looking to find a great new CD release when buying Whiskey on a Sunday, I give it a B- (although "Laura", the new track, is awesome!). However if you want to buy a great documentary with a complimentary soundtrack, then Whiskey on a Sunday definitely deserves an A+.

-Carla De Paz 

Although I'm a huge fan of Talib Kweli’s music, I wasn’t really impressedby his performance. It wasn’t like the type of thing where he doesn’t sound as good live, but it was just so rehearsed that it made it hard forme to get into it. I felt as if he just wanted to get the show over with. There was not much interaction with the audience, and when he did speakto them, it didn’t seem like he really cared about their reactions. From all of the concerts that I've ever been to, the best ones were the oneswhere the performer has fun on stage. To me, it didn’t really seem like Talib Kweli was having much of a good time. However, my judgment of theshow could be wrong, it was just how I felt. From the reactions I saw in the other audience members, they seemed to have enjoyed it. After theshow I spoke to two of my friends and they just absolutely loved it. Maybe it’s just because they haven’t seen as many performances as I have,or maybe it’s just because I'm a harsh critic, but regardless of the fact if you like Talib Kweli you will like his concert, if not, I don’t seehim being able to get you to feel his music.

- Vishal Vibhaker

I’ve seen the likes of LMNO of the Visionaries, Common, Jean Grae,Pharaoh Monche, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, De La Soul, The Living Legends, Slum Village, and Cypress Hill but no one has put on a better performance than One Be Lo. Also known as One Man Army of Binary Star, One Be Loperformed on stage alone with no djay or hype man to help him out. Hejust had his music play, and took the audience by surprise. Lyrically hehas proved himself to be one of the best emcees out there; however, on stage he made you feel the words. It didn’t seem as if he was rapping,but as if he was talking directly to you.  From covering his “Masters of the Universe” album to his solo project, “S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.,” he showedeveryone that he had something to say. He got the audience involved as he asked questions and encouraged them to put their hands in the air. And when a few breakers formed a circle and started dancing, he thanked them for the love they were giving them. Overall the performance was one to remember, if you love hip hop or not, you were bound to be entertainedand would have probably learned a thing or two.

- Vishal Vibhaker

On this new blog trend of comparing people to UCLAradio staff, Joseph Arthur pretty much looks like a combination of DJ Octoon - your trusty marketing director - and Nicolas Cage. interesting, huh? Much more bizarre, however, was his show last night at the El Rey. His newest album is entitled Nuclear Daydream and that might just be the perfect way to describe the oddity of a show that occured last night. You need some examples?

Well, to begin with, the show began with an extremely lengthy speech about how our auras were going to be magnified tenfold and some extraterrestrial babble over the loudspeaker while the curtains were still closed. A few songs in, Arthur grabs a pole with maybe seven or eight rolls of toilet paper on it and a LEAF BLOWER and uses the compressed air to unwind each roll into the audience!

Oh, I can't let myself forget to mention his aversion to shirts. He's all about the funky colored suits and chest hair. You listen to his music and you think, 'hmmm, nice singer-songwriter stuff." Then you go see him live and there is such a disconnect. All I could think is "what is happening?" And yet, I enjoyed it - tremendously.  He closed with a rollicking cover of The Rolling Stones' Miss You that had me strutting around all day today still.

Stream the whole new album here, but don't expect him to be tame; he was the epitome of theatrics. You might, however, clock in on the side that has Wikipedia explaining that "on his fall 2006 tour, Arthur has incorporated a full band, which has been met with largely unfavorable reviews." The best show musically? No. But for sure a true show. And, you know, sometimes I prefer that.

- Laura 

October 18, 2005 - The Wiltern LG, Los Angeles, Ca

    If I had a dollar for every reason to hate floor tickets at the Wiltern, I could afford mezzanine tickets at the Wiltern and would no longer have to complain. However, every now and then, the higher forces intervene and one finds that magical spot behind the third tier in the middle of the floor, where the sound is pristine and the crowd is not too pushy. Apparently on the night of October 18, 2005, the stars aligned appropriately for my friends and me as we eagerly awaited Calexico, the opener for the night’s festivities. As we joyfully staked our claim in that coveted territory, a fabulously mood-setting light show began as the band sauntered onto the stage.
    Calexico is a rarity among their genre, as they genuinely pull off their Tex/Mex look and feel by authenticating it with their rich sound. As images of wild horses and various other images evoked southwestern sentiments among the crowd, they performed their alt-country repertoire casually and confidently. The most enjoyable aspect of the band was, without question, the charming and adept horn section; the Mexican trumpets stole the show effortlessly. With a joyful and appreciative smile, lead singer Joey Burns thanked the audience, promised to return soon, and left us eagerly awaiting Sam Beam.
    Iron & Wine is another special anomaly in pop culture right now, as far as I am concerned. Sam Beam’s earnest lyrics, whisper-soft vocals, sensually deliberate guitar work, and sparkling songwriting make watching him in action truly a site to see. Though he occasionally comes across as too breathy and tinny on the recordings, the clarity of his voice is stark and touching live, and at this particular show he was complimented by none other than his sister, a demure redhead with whom Joey Burns of Calexico would later flirt as they returned to the stage. They ran through a series of touchingly acoustic renditions of “Sodom, South Georgia”, “Naked As We Came”, and other favorites off ‘Our Endless Numbered Days’ and his other works. He saved most of the tracks off his ‘Woman King EP’ for later, when Calexico returned to the stage, and those proved to be far and away the most touching original moments of the night.
    I say original as there was one cover performed that night by the entire cast of characters that shook me to the core. Towards the end of the show, they began the opening bars of The Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses,” and the crowd cooed in appreciation. It would prove to be the richest, most honest and heartfelt cover of that song that I have EVER heard in my life (this coming from the girl who has nine different versions of the song, excluding the original, in her personal collection). It was a profound moment in indie rock and roll, we decided later, as it felt as though we were watching The Band perform, as their friendships between one another and their very personal awareness of their talent and the greater good that they were working toward were so poignant. “Freedom Hangs From Heaven” and “Jezebel”, both off ‘Woman King’, were also gems that night.
    We left the Wiltern that night thankful, more than anything. Iron & Wine and Calexico put on a show that few could have replicated throughout history. There is something very special about that Sam Beam, and as I listen to ‘In the Rains,’ the Iron & Wine and Calexico collaborative EP once again, I am filled with a gratefulness that is so rare following a Wiltern show. I suppose I have the stars to thank for that.

-Christina Gubala

The LA Weekly, to the best of my knowledge, has never sponsored a festival before. I couldn't help but wonder, "Why now?" Its inaugural concert the Detour Festival (named for the streets it was blocking off downtown) was announced only a few weeks after the Weekly's parent company, Village Voice Media, was purchased by New Times (which, in one of the strangest corporate moves I can imagine, proceeded to change its name to Village Voice Media. wtf).

My guess is that either the leftover staff of the Weekly or its new parent company (or possibly both) was wondering whether the paper was still Important to the Community. After all, it's certainly not where young LA people turn to for classified ads, or to look for apartments - they don't even need it for concert listings. And while the Weekly has never been at a loss for snarky commentaries on arts, media and local politics, it surely does not have those markets cornered.

So what better to do than rope off a few blocks of downtown for a festival concert in order to remind The People that the Weekly is way Hipper than, say, the LA Times? (Ironically, the Times building loomed large over the concert grounds, as if smirking at the fact that the Weekly's readership is headed in the same direction as the Times'.) What's the Times got? The Festival of Books?

A few things evoked this curiosity at the Weekly's motives. Besides the odd timing of the event, the performers were not some unique local melange of well-knowns and unknowns meant to reflect the ferocious local loyalty of an influential alt-weekly. In fact, most acts seemed chosen simply to ensure ticket sales - the headliners in particular - rather than affirm the Weekly's place in the hearts and minds of hipster Angelinos. The big names were Queens of the Stone Age (from the desert), Basement Jaxx (from London), and Beck, the token LA headliner. Off the top of my head, out of the 24 or 25 performers, I counted only a handful from LA: Beck, Travis Keller (of Buddyhead fame, DJing a set), The Elected (side project of Pasadena-based indie pop band Rilo Kiley), Redd Kross (Avant rock from Silverlake), and pop band Everybody Else. Even most of the indier acts, such as Of Montreal and !!!, were out-of-towners.

But enough of my petty criticisms. Here's what I saw. Read the rest of this entry »