Tag: live concert review

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Artists Worth Checking Out Live Concerts Reviews

Andy Grammer brings his message of positivity to packed house in Oklahoma City

I have known Aijia Lise Grammer for more than ten years, having met her through her friend Hope Leigh Rollins and booked her for several gigs back when I was doing shows at Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles.  Until recently, I had never had the chance to meet her husband, Andy.  Thanks to Aijia and with the help of Andy’s sterling manager, Welshie, I finally got that chance when Andy Grammer brought his “Don’t Give Up on Me” tour to The Jones Assembly in Oklahoma City on October 15.

I have been going to meet and greets for the better part of the past 25 years when I discovered this amazing part of the live concert experience.  Back in those days, the only artists doing them were country artists, and you merely had to buy a membership in their fan club to get the opportunity to meet your favorite star.  However, somewhere along the way, other genres found out about this phenomenon and have exploited it, now calling it the “VIP experience,” and charging upwards of $200 for the privilege.

Prior to this time, my favorite meet and greet outside of the early country shows was Blue October.  Grammer’s session was particularly incredible, and is now my favorite.  The experience started with a quick meet and greet and photo with him before participating in what he called the “circle of trust.”  Grammer talked about his recent losses and the strengths he had gained in going through the pain, and then invited others to share their stories with the group.  There were some compelling stories, and we all shed a few tears during our time together.  After the circle, Grammer performed a couple of acoustic songs and then opened up his merchandise booth so we could have first crack at it.  After that it was time to wait for the doors to officially open and the evening’s concert to begin.

As I was talking with Jennifer from CID, the folks that coordinated the meet and greet, I heard a familiar voice coming from the stage.  I looked up to see my dear friend Sean Hill doing his spoken word to open the show.  What a treat.  It was also a privilege to hang with him the rest of the night.

The opening band was called Nightly and they hailed from Nashville.  Composed of Joey Beretta, Jonathan Capeci and Nick Sonato, they put on a rousing show that showcased their talents and warmed up the capacity crowd for what was yet to come.  They even incorporated an outstanding U2 cover into their set.

Finally it was time for Grammer to perform.  He started the show in the center of the audience by performing a spoken word piece before playing the title track to his latest album, Naive.  He then proceeded to perform another 20 songs, including nearly every song on Naive and his megahits “Honey I’m Good,” “Keep Your Head Up,” “Fresh Eyes,” and “Good to be Alive.”

Just before he performed his new single “Wish You Pain,” he shared with the audience what he had previously shared with us during the Circle of Trust, and again invited the audience to share their stories.  He picked one member from the audience, listened to her story, and then he and Hill proceeded to write a song on the spot that illustrated that story.  It was a very special moment for both the lucky audience member and the crowd in general.

Grammer concluded the evening with a rousing performance of his latest hit, “Don’t Give up on Me.”   The evening ended as the audience joined in and sang the chorus back to him.  It was the perfect culmination for a perfect concert experience.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Live Concerts Reviews Women in Entertainment

The Americana scene is kicking at Highland Park Bowl

For quite a few years, the Americana scene has thrived in the area around The Grand Ole Echo near Dodger Stadium.  While that area still exists, Americana has found an additional home at the Highland Park Bowl, thanks to Prickly Pear Presents.  The event occurs every Wednesday night through at least the end of July.  We were fortunate enough to attend on May 15, which featured Nikki O’Neill, Manda Mosher and Emily Zuzik.

Zuzik and Mosher are both winners of the LA Music Critic Awards and will be featured at the next Winners Showcase on June 18 at The Mint LA.  This year’s Showcase will honor Women in Entertainment and features 10 female performers.  The event benefits Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.  Tickets are available on the Mint’s website or through PayPal using “lamusiccritic@yahoo.com” as the payee.  Tickets are available in advance for $10, and if available, at the door for $15.

The event was held in Mr. T’s Lounge at this vintage bowling alley.  First up was the R&B infused Americana sound of O’Neill.  She was the only act we had not heard previously, and her set was an unexpected pleasure.  Her sound was diverse, with elements of Alabama and traditional R&B, skillfully delivered by her four-piece  band, which included Joshua Pessar on guitar and backing vocals, Rob Fresco on bass and backing vocals, and Rich Lackowski  on drums and percussion.  Her last album, Love Will Lead You Home, was released in 2017, and their new album will be released shortly.   O’Neill has also been a contributing writer for Guitar Player magazine and is the author of the e-book Women’s Road to Rock Guitar, published by Alfred Music.   Although Pessar turned in some impressive guitar licks and Lackowski and Fresco kept a steady rhythm,  the set suffered from a lack of interesting stage banter.  The music itself was impressive, especially their closing song “That’s how you Lose Her,” which featured the Janis Joplin-like vocals of Halina Janusz from the Grateful Dead tribute band Jerry’s Middle Finger. 

Next up was Mosher, formerly from CALICO the band.  She and her husband Eric Craig, along with Dan Wistrom on pedal steel, guitar and backing vocals, Aaron Stern on bass and Jesper Kristensen on drums, put on a clinic of how to mix rock and Americana, are truly a sterling example of the influence of Tom Petty on the entire Americana scene.  Mosher’s voice is so smoky and strong that is perfectly suited to Petty’s musical style, while her stage presence reminds us of a younger Emmylou Harris.  The overall sound of the band is head and shoulders over their peers.  Unfortunately, like O’Neill, the set suffered from the lack of banter between the songs, , leaving way too much “dead air” between songs.   Once they tighten up the set with appropriate banter, we think they will be unstoppable as a premier concert destination. 

Wrapping up the evening was the sterling sound of Zuzik and her amazing band, which included Wistrom, Topher Allis on drums and the incomparable Ted Russell Kamp on bass, who was taking a break from his recent touring with both Shooter Jennings and Duff McKagan.  Kamp will also be producing Zuzik’s forthcoming album.  Zuzik is even rockier than Mosher, but neither of them has forgotten their roots.  Zuzik reminds us of a combination between Chrissie Hynde and Sheryl Crow.  The band also turned in an impressive cover of The Faces’ mega hit “Stay with Me,” delivered in a style that was part James Brown and part Mick Jagger.  All in all it was an impressive end to this incredible night of Americana music.  Can’t wait until June 18 to see them again.

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Live Concerts Reviews Women in Entertainment

Ska reigns at the Wilma with Bikini Trill, MEST and Reel Big Fish

Photo courtesy of Chelle-S Imaging.

If there was any doubt that ska music is still popular, it was promptly erased by the size of the crowd at Missoula, Montana’s The Wilma for the latest visit from Reel Big Fish and their opening acts, Bikini Trill and MEST.  Thanks to Logjam Presents, the cold northwest had a taste of the blazing California sun with the energy presented by these three bands.

We recently reviewed Life Sucks . . . Let’s Dance, the brand new album from Reel Big Fish, their first new album in six years.  Our dear friend John Avila, who was the bassist for Oingo Boingo, introduced us to the band when we toured his studio a few years back.  He had produced Why do They Rock so Hard?, which earned a Gold Record.  Despite knowing that they had to be good, we were unprepared for the ridiculous amount of energy they emanate from stage.  Thanks to Mike Cubillos of Earshot Media for securing All Access passes for us to meet them and enjoy the concert, and to Tom Ames, the tour manager for Reel Big Fish for being such an excellent host.

The first band to take the stage was Los Angeles trio Bikini Trill, who bear a striking resemblance to the sound of No Doubt.  The band mixes electronic percussive tracks to back the guitar/bass work of Tony and Roach, which perfectly support the soaring vocals of LJ.  While not technically a ska band, their brand of surf and indie rock and hip-hop meshed perfectly with the bands that followed.

Bikini Trill was highly energetic and got the audience involved from the first song.  They kept them involved with a set filled with great songs, of which weed seemed to be the featured subject.

Next up was MEST, featuring the amazing guitar and lead vocals of Tony Lovato.  MEST has been on our radar for awhile.  We first reviewed them back in December 2017, when Lovato released an acoustic album of the band’s tunes called Broken Down II.  That release earned him and the band an LA Music Critic Award for Best Folk Band for the second half of 2017.

MEST is from Chicago, where they released several records for Maverick Records before disbanding in 2006.  Lovato resurrected the band in 2013 with the release of Not What You Expected, followed by his pair of acoustic albums, Broken Down I and II.  While their sound is more punk than ska, they still have enough of that ska feel to make them the perfect opening band for Reel Big Fish.

It was obvious from their first song that the audience was familiar with their songs, and loved their energy.  They even played “2000 Miles” on the spot when a fan requested it.  Their music is highly contagious, and speaks out against addictions and the oft-times unfairness of life.  The harmonies were incredible and sweet, while the drums and bass set the perfect foundation for the band’s sound.  They truly brought it on two of their most powerful songs:  “Jaded (These Years)” and “Mother’s Prayer.”

Towards the end of their set we went down to the green room where we had the chance to meet the members of Reel Big Fish and spend some time talking to them before they took the stage.  They were even kind enough to sign our tour poster.

Led by the stellar vocals and guitar of Aaron Barrett, the amazing horns of Billy Kottage (trombone), John Christianson (Johnny Christmas) (trumpet) and Matt Appleton (saxophone) and the perfect rhythm section of Ed Smokey Beach (drums) and Derek Gibbs (bass), Reel Big Fish is the real deal.

Reel Big Fish kicked off their set with an amazing ska cover of the 80s megahit “Take on Me.”  All three members of the horn section contributed backing vocals, and created incredible harmonies with Barrett.  There was such amazing chemistry on stage that it whipped the crowd into a frenzy.  If you could harness that energy we would be able to power the world.  The crowd especially loved the title track to the new album, and were jumping for joy at every song they played, which covered their 20 years as a band.

If you ever have the chance to see them perform in concert, we highly recommend you take the opportunity.  You will be so glad you did.  We can’t wait for the next time they come to town.