SAT | JUNE 14
JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION
MARTIN LUTHER KING PARK

PHOTO by JEFF GOULD
According to the program, this Juneteenth celebration was (among other things) a way to “build bridges of understanding between different cultures.” This made Dengue Fever—a Cambodian-psych-revival band whose Sinn Sisamouth-style rock was the subject of a dedicated documentary—a perfect choice. (And even more appropriate is [...]

9 BEET STRETCH @ OCMA SAT-SUN | MAY 3-4

It’s hard to imagine that Leif Inge, the sound artist behind 9 Beet Stretch, ever listened to this piece in its entirety. But I haven’t, either. In fact, I doubt anyone has. 9 Beet Stretch is a 24-hour rendition of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, with each note slowed [...]

@ BROADLIND CAFE
DEC 8

PHOTO by LONNIE NGUYEN
Rainy Saturday ArtWalk at Broadlind Cafe: There’s adorable Abraham Lincoln art on the wall and coffee brewing behind the counter and, before us, Moedog Darling (aka Marisa Predisik) just a girl with a guitar—or, on some songs, ukulele—and a soft/sweet good-time voice. “Velvety” comes to mind, and I almost [...]

PHOTO by LONNIE NGUYEN
@ ALEX’S BAR
FRI | NOV 30

Another cold cozy smoky boozy Friday night at Alex’s, and familiar faces greet each other and duck to the bar quick-like for a tall can of PBR. In the house tonight is Don Caballero, and the music cognoscenti of Long Beach come out for the rare opportunity [...]

@ TEMPLE BAR
SAT | NOV 3

The members of Tinariwen play Saharan desert blues like they invented them, and as far as this world music neophyte knows, maybe they did . . . though the music itself sounds like it comes from a time and place much older than anything our American innovators knew about. “World [...]

ALEX’S BAR
FRI | OCT 26

MAGIC LANTERN by LONNIE NGUYEN

Tonight Warlocks got the kind of fan a band wouldn’t do bad to add to the payroll—she had stamina, charisma and really limber limbs, and was front and center and cranked up really high for the entire set. Warlocks knew they owed her one—when she reached for [...]

@ DIPIAZZA’S
FRI | OCT 5
When Banyan plays, you should go. Mike Watt is the best bass player ever. You could try to argue with me, but you’d be wrong. The guy grooves like no other and knows how to solo—something most bassists aren’t very good at. But it’s not just Watt—and his famous closed-eye pucker [...]

PHOTO by LONNIE NGUYEN
@ EAST VILLAGE ARTS DISTRICT
SAT | SEPT 22
Two monks with bells and horns glided out of the East Village Art Park, and said, “Follow us!” And so I did, as stragglers from the Bicycle Bell Ensemble pedaled past to practice, and the monks (later greeted as members of the hop-frog kollektiv) honked [...]

FOXY AUTOPSY by LONNIE NGUYEN
@ HOUSE PARTY
SAT | SEPT 15
Word on the street was that female rap duo Foxy Autopsy was going on at 9, which EVERYONE knew meant 11:30. Another rumor was Foxy Autopsy were dusting off their infamous white track suits and dance moves. A crowd gathered at 10 for Ninja Academy, a [...]

JAIL WEDDINGS by LONNIE NGUYEN
@ QUE SERA
FRIDAY | AUG 31
What a great show and I liked it all, too: Woman, the band split international-playboy-style between NYC, USA and Mexico City, DF, and led by an able Australian—Beefheart splatter guitar over caveman rhythm section and split ursine vocals; sounded like Link Wray catching up to Black [...]