NICO VEGA @ The Roxy (09/08/09)

you'll stand up and rock out! that's what you should expect from Nico Vega. i'll be honest my first impressions w/ nico vega left a sour taste as i felt they were force feeding me messages of post-9/11 sentiments of the world (disdain for political regimes and sociological systems.) their studio album is good but their live show is awe-inspiring. there's blood, sweat, and tears from this band and you can feel it. even their acoustic versions of their songs are as powerful...you get their message served delightfully to you even if you least expect it. no need to wonder what happened to the music that moves a generation to question and protest their current "comfortable" lives because nico vega is present. there's no cotton candy coating w/ this band. the three member band (vocals, guitar, drums) is all they need to rock out.
check it out i'm somewhere in the crowd rockin' out:


nico vega is a tough sell to those who don't know their music and during these economic hardships it's really hard to sell it to friends who are not concert fanatics as i am, so i'm left to my own resources...more often than not i find myself feeling awkward and rather hesitant and intimidated but those i'm surrounded. fortunately my prejudices don't dictate my outlook on people/life because very soon after (which has come with experience) i've always come to conclusion of understanding and benevolence towards those i don't know/recognize. so was the case for the fans of nico vega. absolutely without a doubt a fun group to rock out w/ even if we're absolutely completely perfectly unknown strangers. we found the common denominator and were able to have an amazing evening of music.

can't say for sure if they'll make the top twenty pop billboard (seacrest should be out) but this band is worth the a night of rock.

enjoy the music.

THE DUKE SPIRIT @ The El Rey Theater (09/01/09)

i had only heard (repeatedly for that matter) one song from the duke spirit. an acoustic version of "Wooden Heart" which was quite different from their usual sound. this was more than two years ago and honestly never gave them a second thought because their acoustic wooden heart was just what i wanted from this band. nothing more or less. cut to present day specifically the first of september and they're playing at the el rey theater. which is almost across the street from my place of employment. not only was proximity a factor but the opening band for the evening was band of skulls and if there was anything that i felt more about that evening it was going to be band of skulls. i'll be honest band of skulls killed it that night. it wasn't fair for the duke spirit as they were a tough act to follow (at least for my tastes anyway). at the end of the evening i was intrigued by the duke spirit. i got their album. so i suppose the purpose of the concert worked. i left the theater wanting more. more because i didn't really enjoy the show. i don't want to be too critical but from this to that i didn't understand what she was singing about..i couldn't follow the music. all the right elements were there just not on the same wavelength. maybe too much so that destructive interference occurred. the duke spirit just finished a world tour opening for incubus the el rey theater is not the venue as those they just played at probably a third of their usual but they played like i was a stadium away (way too loud...which in some cases can break the concert going experience). not loud that a pair of earplugs could remedy but walking outside back to the parking garage onto the 101, exiting, parking space 9, apartment number 9, pressing play on the untitled playlist 8 any song on their new album "neptune" (specifically wooden heart, this ship was built to last) headphones in would suffice if not succeed in the duke spirit listening experience. i won't say i won't go to another of their concerts because their music is really really good. i would just to make sure the venue fits their music. nothing bigger than the wiltern but not smaller than the fonda (just in my humbled opinion).

enjoy the music.

BAND OF SKULLS @ The El Rey Theater (09/01/09)

"motel, taco bell" that's all it took. little did i know after listening to the rest of the song subsequently the rest of the album did i hear much more than those three simple words. coming from a three member band Band of Skulls is much more complexed. if not their lyrics but their oh sweet rocknroll melodies. they're fun and bad ass rock stars that you could party with and feel guilt-free despite breaking a couple state and local laws. i can probably say for sure that i first heard of band of skulls sometime at the beginning of july a month later i've probably listened to their album everyday since then. my day is incomplete without them. i don't know why that is but going to see them live and really enjoying their rocknroll probably has something to do with it.



this import british rock band has it and taking it to the bank. especially if performed at lolla 2009 and contributing to the second installment of the major motion picture, Twilight. the end to the small music venue for the band of skulls. it was fun while it lasted. i will miss what i had and as they say "nothing gold can stay." someday in the future this blog will have continued pass my physical existence and left to the devices of generations that have followed we can read this and shed light was it was like before their world domination. who knows what the future holds for concerts as most record labels throw concerts because of an upcoming album release will there be a time when the concert will occur to make an album? does that make sense or is it wishful thinking. i can't remember right now the worse concert going experience to date but they should take some notes about how's it done from band of skulls.

i'll be the first to admit i've been caught rockin out in my not so private open-aired cubicle at work...headphones on and lyrics in hand what would you expect?

enjoy the music.

JJ GREY & MOFRO @ The El Rey Theater (08/28/09)

once again i fell victim to the bright lights of the marquee, the proximity of the el rey theater and the tickets out of the box office with no "convenience" charges. even more so a friend's recommendation to see/listen JJ Grey & MOFRO. and so that's how it happened. as soon as i walk through the door florida pride was apparent you could even feel the humidity of the what seemed like a sold out event. without a doubt the very definition of southern soulful blues is JJ Grey.

i wish i had gone to this show better prepared so i can really get into the music but for my first time he was gentle needless to say i enjoyed.

enjoy the music.