Photos by Ria Bose February 1st marks the beginning of Black History Month—a time of celebration and reflection for the accomplishments and stories of the Black Americans. 2 days following, UCLA’s Nigerian Student Association and Campus Events Commission held the annual AfroFest. On its second run, the event was five hours packed with student vendors,…
Cali Vibes: An Energetic Escape to Long Beach On President’s Day Weekend, Marina Green Park experienced a transformative remodeling into Goldenvoice’s Cali Vibes Festival. Upon entrance to Cali Vibes, festival-goers were met with the echoes of performances from The Greens stage. The open lawn space stretching out from this stage embraced fans as they were…
Kid Bloom, otherwise known as Lennon Kloser, kicked off his Inner Light Tour at El Rey tonight, promoting his upcoming album, aptly titled “Inner Light.” Back in the fall, Kloser released his EP “Shaky Knees,” (read more about it in our interview here!) which included the darker points of his upcoming album. Tonight, the audience…
One with the crowd, dare I say my prior alienation was somewhat relieved, my existence now seeming more a testament to music’s timeless appreciability than the intrusion of an unschooled youth. The Immediate Family has that effect–of making accessible such supreme talent so that the audience too, becomes part of the family.
It’s easy to be charmed by Say She She. I was out on a walk around my neighborhood in Mid City with KCRW on my headphones, to take in the sunshine all while I avoided the geology textbook on my desk, when I first listened to “Prism.” The titular track from their debut reeks of…
Photographs by Anise Safiya Tyehimba As I stepped into the venue of the Hip Hop House Show for the first time, it was impossible to miss the towering centerpiece in the courtyard. Hanging from the towering tree were hand painted CD’s, reflecting off an ambient mixture of red and green hues. The vibrant ornaments created…
The venue, a warehouse, is brimming with people and the feeling contrasts with the cold, humid air outside. I rush in after I get checked off a list and join the crowd waiting for the night to begin. It was nice to see others who were as excited as me since it’s hard to describe…
Improvised, created on-the-spot EDM from Reggie Watts, synchronized hitch kicks from the “anti-rock” Faux Real, dramatized undulations from Actually Huizenga of Patriarchy as she ran her tongue over an unsuspecting mic stand. With a diverse lineup embodying the DIY, the avant garde, and the sensational, the artists of the Annual Abortion Access Benefit Series appeared to have taken Watts’ meditations to heart, utilizing their talents to directly or indirectly protest the United States government’s usurpation of women’s bodies.
Photos by Selkie Winter A net packed with balloons in every which way hung above us on the eve to New Year’s Eve at the Chapel. 12/30/24 marked the first night of Lee Field’s New Year’s Eve residency at The Chapel in San Francisco, a two-day affair that did not disappoint. Rich saxophone and booming…
Photos by Sara Gorman and Gabriela Acosta One of my favorite things to do after class is to attend live music. I was lucky to catch a show on Tuesday, January 9th, the second day of Winter quarter. I hadn’t planned to catch this show, but by miracle or perhaps just sheer coincidence, Sara shared…
Photos by Mary Tio November 12, 2023: Day 2 of Camp Flog Gnaw For our second day, Mary and I quickly down our coffees and eagerly rush over to the festival at noon. Due to our second round of interviews, we caught fewer performances as compared to the previous day – we didn’t mind though,…
Photos by Mary Tio It would be difficult to write an article about the critically acclaimed Camp Flog Gnaw festival without understanding the mastermind behind the creative madness. Formerly known as the Odd Future festival, this laid-back celebration of music and arts began as scribbles in Tyler, the Creator’s notebook. 11 years later, Camp Flog…
“Think about the average TV Girl Fan. They’re lonely. They’re depressed. They’re morally bankrupt. They’re actually bankrupt. They have no friends. They don’t go outside. They’re addicted to their phones, and honestly they don’t smell very good most of the time! That’s who listens to TV Girl.” As said by none other than lead vocalist…
Photos by Chloe Gonzales & Dylan Simmons 10:30 PM I mean we were heading to an event called “Yeah, Yeah, Yas,” I knew what to expect. Drive the freeway, look around the block twice and miss our turn to find the event, stop, take a couple of tries parallel parking, and struggle to find the…
In a sense of oversimplification, poetry is to language as jazz is to music. These respective artistic pursuits hinge on an artists’ courage to abandon established formalities, a nature of creative rule bending that forges the bridge between art and activism with poetry and jazz resting at its center. An artist combining the two seems…
For me, nothing signals the end of another year quite like music fans and critics alike beginning to release lists ranking the best albums of the year. When looking back on my own favorite projects of 2023, one sticks out above the rest. Something about the shoegaze tinged balls to the walls EDM club tracks…
As I’m walking through downtown Los Angeles on a Tuesday night, all I see are Mexican tamborazos and bandas playing live music in the street with hundreds of people lining up waiting at the Peacock Theater’s front doors with the smell of hot dogs grilling filling the air. When a regional Mexican super star such…
I’m not used to America yet. Every time I pack my bags and board the 15-hour flight from Hong Kong, it freaks me out a little bit. Walking into a coffee shop and seeing six different types of milk (none of them being whole milk) does fill me with a sense of unease. So you…
Photos by Luna Seng–Lay I’ve always loved the rain. Growing up on the Northern California coast, in the small beach town of Half Moon Bay, there were very few days during the year when the sun shone through without the distraction of the clouds and fog. For my parents, Southern California natives who spent their…
Photos by Lily Stockton Looking at the crowd outside the Shrine Auditorium, it would’ve been fair to assume that they were waiting for a blockbuster movie premiere, not a concert. Fans dressed in identical black cloaks, technicolor Hawaiian shirts, and oversized bolero hats joyfully exchanged fan merch and made conversation. Topics ranged from compliments on…
Photos by Chloe Gonzales I wouldn’t say that love is at the forefront of my mind these days, but when I listen to Faye Webster’s music, it’s the only thing on my mind. You know that feeling you get when your crush smiles at you? Your face slowly flushing, the hot blush blooming across your…