Labor Day Weekend roundup!

Weekend replaaay! Ready, set, go!

As gloriously unemployed as I am, I belatedly became aware of the Labor Day Weekend when my roommate told me on Saturday that she was hitting up a massive furniture sale. Of course.

But my weekend kicked off on Thursday night with an awesome show at the Echo Curio featuring NorCal bands The Pentacles and Evacuee, and my chums VOICEsVOICEs and Not The Government. With my cold lingering, I trooped on out there, and I was welcomed into the "VIP room" to a beer and an offer for a free tattoo. I know exactly what I am getting: the Triforce from The Legend of Zelda.



The Echo Curio offers a cozy atmosphere among new art, indie CDs, handmade clothing, and various splendid wonders (I got a free sea monkey kit there once). The Christmas lights strewn across the PAs cast a little bit of magic into the air as The Pentacles cruised in on their surf rock sound from Oakland.

I really dug them, they made me think of a nineties Beach Boy band, with titles like "Deep Sea Diver" and "Coral Castle."



Evacuee rocked a little bit harder. VOICEsVOICEs reined in the mood, turning down the lights and throwing up a projection of a strange stop motion animation film to play against. Part performance, part sexual experience, and all drums and guitar, VOICEsVOICEs is one of my most beloved Echo Park discoveries. Their shows are an experience, a long foreplay session of live recording and sampling that you're not too sure you're supposed to be witnessing, building up layers and layers of abstract sounds, like a flock of whales singing to each other in the sky, until the drums come crashing in with the guitar like a wave of orgasmic release. You have to follow it up with a cold shower, and not just because it's been eighty degrees plus here in LA these days.



My boys Not The Government tore the place up, bringing it down with red lights like something out of a B horror flick. With brooding vocals and stringy organ chords, NTG coaxed the mosh out of the crowd, and the night culminated in flying guitar leaps and cymbals kicked onto the floor.



Jay had something to say about some graffiti he found:



Friday night I gathered up an entourage and cruised twenty minutes to the Valley for one Miss Rawky Zano's RSVP exclusive End of Summer Bash. I have never been to a house party with its own bouncer before, but Rawky knows how to throw a party and spin the tunes that get the kids to break it down.



Saturday I chilled in bed, nursing my cold with rest, Zicam, and chamomile tea with lavender honey.

Sunday night I popped my Vermont House cherry with WHAT JOB?, a clusterfuck of indie bands - both local and visiting - gathered in one place for some serious eardrum slaughter. For a mere four dollars I caught a bunch of bands I had previously only heard of. So my friend and I stocked up on some necessary accessories, shoved our way to the front, and rocked out.





First band we caught was Narwhal Party. Like the almost mythical single-horned sea-dwelling mammal itself, I never knew such an aggressive sound could come out of such skinny boys in boxer briefs. (I'm sorry, that sentence doesn't really make any sense, but I like it, so it's staying.)



(This is in no way mine, but what came up when I searched for "narwhal sparring" - and isn't it sort of amazing?)



Next up was Naima Earth, who had invited me to photograph the show. Despite a few major setbacks (Car problems, SICK DRUMMER), they managed to jam like it was nothing and had the cramped audience yelling, "ONE MORE SONG!" They've got a rad almost Mars Volta jam sound, but with way more sincerity and way less pretension.



We caught the tail end of Japanther and rounded out our evening with 60 Watt Kid, who had been hyped since we arrived. Hailing from San Francisco, these deceptively music-geek-looking lads delivered one of the most amazing musical experiences I have ever encountered. Their singer flung himself into the arms of the audience, but not as a rock star seeking adoration, more like some sort of intense reaching out for contact, a connection through music. I can't stop listening to the tracks off their MySpace page and as I sit here contemplating the airwaves in my ears, I struggle to find the words to fit around them. I know the words will synthesize one day, but for now, I remain in speechless awe.





How's this for a dream team? The Pentacles, Not The Government, VOICEsVOICEs, and 60 Watt Kid.

One day!

Maybe when I get my fabulous job (Fingers still crossed!) I can construct just such a show. Without saying too much, I have a third interview with this job lined up - employment by attrition! I am really hanging all my hopes on a star here, but the star is falling closer and closer to Earth, and it's so near I can almost reach out and pluck it from the sky.

Fingers crossed!