Tacoma, Washington based Highlight Bomb played a set in Los Angeles last Saturday. The group cranks out a pop-laced grunge and is currently touring much of the West. The gig was low in attendance due in large part to the band playing at around 5 o’clock in the afternoon. I spoke with all three members of the group about the difference between the Northwest music scene and other areas of the country, most notably Los Angeles. Video below:
State of the Independent Music Scene
Archive for the ‘Rock’ Category
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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Vivian Girls in Los Angeles
Vivian Girls is a three piece all girl band that’s made an impressive showing on the indie music scene. The trio formed in early 2007 and is now touring the U.S. and U.K. The video below is from a recent show I went to at The Smell and includes a short interview with members of the band. As you’ll see, they’re live show kicks ass:
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Peter Salett
Singer/songwriter Peter Salett held a record release party at M Bar in Hollywood on July 17 for his upcoming album In the Ocean of the Stars. His music has been featured in films such as Judd Apatow’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall, HBO’s Cat Dancers and Down in the Valley starring Ed Norton. On the new album, Salett retains his characteristic folk-country style, but tunes such as True in Time and Miss You are unique in their early 50s/60s pop rhythms and echo-heavy slide guitar. Both tracks are highly recommended downloads, or if you live in NYC, you can pick up a copy of the entire CD when Salett performs at The Living Room on July 23. The video below features highlights from the gig in Hollywood last Thursday, including guest appearances by actor/comedian Thomas Lennon and filmmaker David Wain.
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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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