Do You Wanna Dance?

There was on amazing concert honoring the band Big Star on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA. I’m not using that word amazing lightly either. With stellar musical arrangements, a group of talented musicians dedicated to playing the music of Big Star live, along with special guest artists and the Kronos Quartet, took the audience on a exquisite journey through the album of Third/Sister Lovers along with favorite tunes from the Big Star catalog. The concert was filmed by Yes Equals Yes and will be available to purchase as a DVD next spring. Time and

Sing Loud While You’re Able

Glen Phillips played at SOhO Restaurant and Music Club in Santa Barbara, CA on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. I’d missed the last couple solo shows Glen has played, so I was pretty excited to get to this one. It was a slightly nerve-wrecking drive out of L.A that Tuesday evening due to various accidents on the highway and it took even longer than it normally does to get out of town. I made it to the venue about 20 minutes before the show was to start and ordered my dinner promptly. I don’t particularly like to be eating when the

Feels Good, Just Like It Should

I was at The Troubadour on Saturday, April 23, 2016 for a concert including three bands: We the Folk, T Sisters, and Dustbowl Revival. The first two bands were new to me. We the Folk formed at the UCLA campus and has been playing some of the small popular venues in L.A. for the past couple of years. Fronted by David Villafaña on vocals and guitar, the band on Saturday was comprised of five additional musicians playing fiddle, accordion, bass, drum kit, and percussion. The T Sisters is comprised of three harmonizing sisters — Erika, Chloe, and Rachel Tietjen — with

Just Don’t Break Up the Connection

Thursdays, April 21, 2016, Largo at the Coronet hosted a show titled “Sweethearts,” featuring musicians Susanna Hoffs, Jon Brion, Greg Leisz, Paul Bryan, Chris Bruce, Abe Rounds, and Sara Watkins. With all of these talented musicians on the bill it seemed to be the making of an excellent concert. Then, that afternoon news broke of the death of music legend Prince. The Bangles had famously recorded a song written by Prince, “Manic Monday.” How would the news affect this concert and the song choices, if at all?  Well, as much as Jon Brion and Greg Leisz tried to blast the

I Could Sail Away to the Songs That Play

One of my friends won tickets for Elvis Costello‘s concert on Sunday, April 3, 2016 at the Theatre at Ace Hotel and I got to be her plus one. Early in the week I had been checking to see if there were tickets to either of his shows that weekend, but they were sold out.  So this was an unexpected, but exciting opportunity to see a music legend. I have to admit to being only a casual fan of Elvis Costello, having liked most things I’ve heard from him, but never getting around to purchasing an album. Actually, I was