Kawaguchi Masami’s New Rock Syndicate played The Smell in downtown Los Angeles on May 11. The band from Tokyo has a varied and eclectic sound that ranges from crooning and melodic to acid jazz and noise. You can check it out on their MySpace page. I spoke with the lead vocalist before their set, and I asked him to compare the indie music scene in Japan to the one in the United States. Video with interview below:
State of the Independent Music Scene
Archive for the ‘experimental’ Category
Weave! at The Regent
Weave! played the newly renovated Regent Theatre in Downtown L.A. on May 7. It’s among the first shows since Little Radio reached an agreement with developer Tom Gilmore to use the historic venue to host bands. Weave!’s sound carries a surf rock, B-52’s influence, mixed with unconventional harmonies and an edgy tinge. I spoke with lead singer and bassist Ivory Lee after the show. She used words like “jinky” and “inky” when describing how she’d change the indie music scene. Check it out:
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The Happy Hollows
The Happy Hollows played a set at The Regent Theatre in downtown L.A. last Saturday. The concert was part of the KXLU Fundraiser to help support the station and bring exposure to local indie bands. I spoke with Hollows lead singer Sarah Negahdari after the show, and she said she enjoyed the all-ages venue and wished there were more around town. She focused on local bands when responding to how she’d change the indie music scene. Short concert clip with interview in the video below:
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Dengue Fever
Dengue Fever played a long, hot set at Make Music Pasadena last Saturday. I arrived a solid 45 minutes before they began, taking no chances of missing a great spot near the stage. Surf psychedelia fused with Asian-style pop is the closest I can come to relating their sound in the written word. They are sometimes labeled as a world music band, but I’ve come to equate the term with groups whose sound grows old after two or three songs. Dengue Fever somehow always finds a way to hook you in, while never sounding false or untrue to their own unique style. Lead singer Chhom Nimol (spelling referenced on band’s website) and guitarist Zac Holtzman spoke to me briefly after the set. You’ll notice a slight disparity between the questions I asked and the ones Nimol answered in the video below, but it was cool to talk with her anyway.
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Yeasayer
Long waiting for the opportunity to profile an indie band from outside the L.A. area, I caught a show by the group Yeasayer on April 25. The band’s considered part of the experimental rock scene emerging in Brooklyn, which includes acts like Free Blood, High Places, and MGMT. I captured a few live clips and interviewed lead singer Chris Keating, who had some interesting things to say about how he’d improve the indie music scene and L.A. club owners’ affinity for “pay-to-play.” Check it out:
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