May 2010 Archives

If you weren't at the Troubadour on Saturday night you missed out. You really did.

Sons of country music legends Lukas Nelson and Shooter Jennings played on the same night at the Troubadour. Back-to-back. And they put on a show for the ages.

Nelson - the blues guitar virtuoso - came out first and he and his three piece band went nuts - playing cuts off there soon-to-be-released (and now unnamed) album. In order to appreciate the band, you have to see them live - with Nelson tearing it up on guitar and his drummer (Anthony Logerfo) pounding on the snare drum, making it sound like gunshots. Songs like 'Start to Go,' 'Mystery, 'My Own Wave' and 'Awakening' showed just how good the (really) young Nelson is as an instrumentalist - and as a showman, turning his guitar upside down at times and also playing with his teeth for an entire solo. His singing voice sounds like Dad Willie 30-some years ago (only higher) and it only adds to the experience.

After an hour, Shooter and his five-piece band Hierophant came out and played their new concept record 'Black Ribbons' straight through - complete with recordings of narrator Stephen King. The sonic explosion started midway through the intro song 'Wake Up!' and didn't stop until the encore, which was longer than usual, but included non-Black Ribbons songs from Jennings previous three albums (including the catchy, sing-along song '4th of July'. Jennings alternated among guitar, keyboards and sound board (where he played a variety of sounds) and also played the song Black Ribbons by himself on acoustic guitar. His band is also interesting-looking, with one guy who looks like actor Powers Boothe in the movie Tombstone; one guy with a mohawk who is in tattoos and one with a beard similar to the ZZ Top guys. All of them were brilliant.

Do yourself a favor and go see either bands play - whichever is closest to you. Nelson plays at the Air Conditioned Supper Club in Venice on June 3rd and Jennings is on a national tour in support of Black Ribbons.

Check for Nelson schedule here and Shooter's here.

There are several really cool things to do this weekend - maybe you can try to hit them all, if you have the time

LUKAS NELSON and SHOOTER JENNINGS at the Troubadour - Saturday
Lukas site
Shooter site

Lukas (Willie's son) and Shooter (Waylon's son) are playing a show at the Troubadour on Saturday night. Its the first time they're playing the same place - hopefully not the last - and they're doing separate sets. Lukas and his band The Promise of the Real are rockin blues and Lukas sounds like his Dad (40 years ago) when he sings. Shooter and his band Hierophant has been on tour promoting his album 'Black Ribbons' which is a conspiratorial, anti-government concept album with Stephen King narrating. According to Jennings, he's playing the album in its entirety at the Troubadour - which is a little more than 100 minutes. Lukas goes on at 9 and Shooter at 10.

The Troubadour's address is
9081 Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood/West Hollywood.

LA Weekly LA Weekend - Saban Theater, Beverly Hills-ish - Friday and Saturday
here

The Saban hosts two days of music, arts, politics and comedy blended together.

Day 1 (Friday) starts at approximately 7pm and features Amy Alkon (at 7pm), Jill Stewart Moderating 'The Bad Boys of Blogging w/Andrew Breitbart, Mickey Kause and John Amato (at 8), Devils Playground Comic Book Burlesque (9:15pm) and JA Prawn (9:45)

Day 2 starts at noon with Jonathan Gold Presents: Hot Dog: The Ins and Outs of Encased Meats: singer/comedienne/ukelele player Kate Micucci (1pm) , who mixes oddball songs with comic sensibilities (check out www.katemicucci.com for more); Clowntown City Limits (2pm); Gary Panter Speaks (3pm) and the themed 'Death Metal Afternoon featuring 'Dreams of Damnation," "Professor," "Drawing Dead" and "Until the Light Takes Us" - all of which play in 30 or 45 minute increments starting at 4. After Buddy (at 7:30), The Parson Red Heads (8:45) and the Poubelle Twins Slap Booth (9:45), there are film screenings of 'Secondhand Sureshots" (10pm) and Dublab Visionversion." (10:45).

SILVERLAKE JUBILEE - Silverlake area - Saturday and Sunday
here

Two days of music, arts and food in the streets of Silverlake - mostly on Mya St - between Sunset and Del Mar Ave - down the block from the El Cid Theater. Dozens of bands are playing throughout the two-day walkabout.

FORBIDDEN ZONE, LIVE IN THE 6TH DIMENSION - Sacred Fools Theater Company, Hollywood, every Friday and Saturday at 8pm between this weekend (May 21st) and June 26 and Sundays at 7pm on June 13 and June 20th
here

Richard Elfman - brother of Danny Elfman and co-founder of Oingo Boingo made a weird movie called The Forbidden Zone in 1982 with Hervé Villechaize in the lead role of 'King Fausto of the Sixth Dimension. Then he made it into a stage show. Both are weird and trippy - the stage show more so. Gotta see it to believe it.

THE BAKED POTATO 40TH ANNIVERSARY JAZZ FESTIVAL - The Baked Potato at THE JOHN ANSON FORD AMPHITHEATER, Hollywood, Saturday and Sunday

Festival starts on Saturday and goes from 2pm to 11pm and continues on Sunday - also 2pm to 11. Highlights include the Scott Henderson Trio, Chad Smith and Steve Lukather (on Saturday) and Lee Ritenour, Patrice Rushen and Larry Carlton on Sunday

Or you can see the movie MacGruber in a theater near you. Opens Friday

Pick one or do them all. They all sound cool