Celebrating 50 years of hip-hop, Tierra Whack makes one thing clear to her fans at The Broad: ‘Don’t worry about me’

September 1, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Tierra Whack - The BroadPhotos by Joseph Gray // Written by Rochelle Shipman //

Tierra Whack //
The Broad – Los Angeles
August 26th, 2023 //

More than five years have passed since Tierra Whack gifted us with the ingenious Whack World, a stunning spitfire glimpse into the heart and mind of the North Philly rapper. It’s safe to say a lot has changed since then, but her debut album remains highly acclaimed. Whack made a rare appearance in LA last weekend to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, playing a set at The Broad before none other than Grandmaster Flash himself. She sure wasn’t kidding when she sang, “Don’t worry about me / I’m doing good, I’m doing great, alright” back in 2018, and at this point, she might need to update her lyrics since that’s clearly an understatement.

She took the stage in a classically eclectic outfit: a custom-made dress comprised of three (!!!) different pairs of Levi’s jeans, complete with chunky white boots and spiky, neon red pigtails. The crowd’s initial anxious anticipation evaporated immediately as she bounded onstage, hopping around with a Tigger-like energy. At no point did she pause or falter under the unquestionable weight of all that denim, an appropriately wonky metaphor for some of the messages derived from her music if there ever was one.

Whack is well-known for being a brilliant wordsmith, but she’s equally known for her inventive visuals and the just plain fun she brings to her music. Finally seeing her in person makes that element a bit clearer; she quite simply has no choice because that child-like joy is embedded into her personality — for example, she rolled up to the show with a Bop-It in hand (and no one has ever looked cooler).

Her performance was tight and explosive, her toes nearly on the edge of the stage as she reached out to touch the hands stretching her way. She rapped ferociously, almost as though she was battling the sold-out crowd, rolling through hit after hit without another thought. Only when something would catch her attention did she veer slightly off course with wonder, letting her unscripted vulnerability take center stage, like when she gleefully noticed that some residents in the apartment building looming over us were getting a free show.

Tierra Whack - The Broad

“Sing it to the windows!” she shouted during “Pet Cemetery” before turning and leading the crowd in crooning “all dogs go to heaven.”

One of the most impressive parts of Whack’s talent is how creatively she’s able to balance heavy subjects with a perfectly weird sense of humor and a touch of reality-based absurdity on top of that. At the age of 28, she emanates glee no matter what the topic is. Before launching into her country-tinged diss track “Fuck Off”, Whack requested middle fingers in the air, “even you VIP folk.” She scanned the attendees before landing on the lone photographer to the right of the stage. “Hey hey hey, you, with the shirt. Middle finger.” The photographer responded by lifting his camera to capture the direct attention she was giving him. “Nope, no camera. Middle. Finger,” she stated calmly. Once he obliged, she turned back to the crowd and said, “OK, let’s do it. We’re ready,” before launching into her zany, embellished country accent to sing, “Well honey, I’ve been so sick, so sad, whenever I’m happy it makes you mad / I hope your ass breaks out in a rash, you remind me of my deadbeat dad, fuck off.”

Whack worked her way through Whack World and offered a few of her loosies like “Meagan Good” and “Only Child”. As if it wasn’t enough for her to grace us with her presence — a seldom occurrence for an artist who certainly plays shows but never seems to tour — she showcased some brand-new material, instilling hope for 2024 back in the world. It was called “Shower Song”, and it sounded like it could have been a collaboration with Thundercat. It wasn’t to be clear, but it was so funky and so effortlessly funny that it would have easily fit into the fold on Thundercat’s 2017 LP Drunk. Tierra, if you are reading this, you goddamn do sound good when you are singing in the shower. Hang in there, folks … new Tierra Whack is imminent, and it is fire — although if you are paying attention, you already knew it would be.

It’s not every day you get to see a musical unicorn — not to mention two in one night — and it’s even more uncommon for an artist of that stature to truly deliver. Whack showed us that she may as well own UPS at this point, and she’s barely just begun. Pairing her with the legendary Grandmaster Flash proves that Whack, thankfully for us, is woven into the threads of hip-hop’s future, and we have a lot to look forward to in the next 50 years. Because if this set was any indication, hip-hop remains in good hands.

Setlist:
Flea Market
Pretty Ugly
Cable Guy
4 Wings
Hookers
Pet Cemetery
Fuck Off
Silly Sam
Fruit Salad
Sore Loser
Only Child
Shower Song (new song)
Meagan Good
Hungry Hippo

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Avey Tare of Animal Collective gives us a peek into his process with an explosion of sounds & colors at a sold-out Lodge Room

May 18, 2023 by 1 Comment

Avey TareBy Rochelle Shipman //

Avey Tare //
Lodge Room – Los Angeles
May 13th, 2023 //

There’s something to be said about Avey Tare’s unapologetic capability to just be himself. It’s a center-stage trait that has always been a driving force behind experimental-pop band Animal Collective, and that also rings true on the plethora of solo pursuits he has blessed us with. The multi-instrumentalist born David Michael Portner brought his trademark ingenuity to life at LA’s Lodge Room last Saturday, the sold-out cherry on top of a two-month, cross-country tour.

On his phenomenal new album 7s, Tare takes the listener on a familiar mystical underwater journey — deep thoughts accompanied by a soft guitar, whimsical and vulnerable to a degree that nearly makes you blush. Despite that, it was still a bit surprising to see him step onstage and deliver the entire show completely alone (not to mention flawlessly, obviously). He navigated a maze of pedals, keys, strings and cables like the seasoned mastermind that he is, perhaps unironically singing, “Alone in a field I wonder how it is explained / That a person comes into the field of making sound and putting it together …” I found myself staring at the answer as he strummed a guitar and baring his entire soul onstage. In Tare’s case at least, it’s apparent that this person simply has no other choice but to make sound and put it together.

For the amount of instruments and equipment that he had onstage with him, nothing could hide the fact that Tare’s most valuable instrument is himself. Yes, his ability to play guitar and keyboards as well as to sing (and so on) is an essential part of his musical persona; however, they almost pale in comparison to his capability to express himself through nothing more than his very own body. Sound pulses through his veins just like blood runs through ours. It comes out in so many forms during a show — from measured yelps and head-to-toe shrieks to excerpts of heavy, rhythmic breathing. In those moments it appears he has surrendered all control and accepted pure freedom, finding his truest self (and borderline speaking his own language). His authenticity resonated with the capacity audience every time, garnering cheers and echoes that only grew each time his fits got wilder.

Avey Tare

Tare was stationed right in front of the 7s album cover and flanked by two alligators, switching between acoustic and electric guitars just as seamlessly as the neon lights overhead changed palettes. He hardly looked up except to spare a modest grin from time to time, almost as though he forgot the audience was there, and he barely spoke except to express gratitude.

Nevertheless, the energy in the room was buzzing throughout the entire set, folks pushing up against the stage desperate to be within shrieking distance of Tare. He seemingly had something for everyone, touching on all different corners of his solo catalog and even throwing in a quick version of “Chocolate Girl” in honor of the Animal Collective classic Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished, which was recently reissued.

Under the glow of the star-shaped chandelier inside this stunning, funny little masonic lodge on the outskirts of LA, for an hour and a half Tare gave us a peek into his process. It was an explosion of sounds and colors, a pure and absolute balm for the soul. It felt like a perfect summer night, even though it was the middle of May — nonsensical, yet peaceful and not unlike Tare himself.

Setlist:
Midnight Special
The Musical
Lips at Night
Hey Bog
Ghost of Books
Neurons
Ms. Secret (acoustic)
Coral Lords (acoustic)
Mystical
Invisible Darlings
Saturdays (Again)
Chocolate Girl (Animal Collective song)

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Photos Tagged With: , ,

As his career continues to soar, Grammy winner Thundercat emits hypnotic joy in his hometown for a sold-out crowd at The Broad

July 27, 2022 by Leave a Comment

ThundercatBy Rochelle Shipman //

Thundercat with Ginger Root //
The Broad – Los Angeles
July 21st, 2022 //

“Is this real?” I remember muttering out loud, squinting at the words “Thundercat plays The Broad.” Not a music venue but instead, a fancy art museum in downtown LA that’s so LA it might as well be located in Los Feliz and it may or may not be pronounced “The Brode.”

Of course it was real. This is LA. So despite my best attempts to spend last Thursday on my couch in solitude, I found myself going to a show on an otherwise-perfect couch night, standing on a grass plot amid a concrete jungle. It wasn’t a big space, with the stage tucked behind a thin line of bicycle racks and high-rise apartments towering over us on both sides of the designated performance area. But as part of its “Summer Happenings” series, the museum remained open to all attendees, offering a brief reprieve from the sold-out crowd and a prime opportunity to check out the exhibits without having to schedule another visit. I wasn’t expecting Thundercat to lead me to my first-ever Basquiats IRL, but what can I say? The man contains multitudes.

Psych-soul-pop trio Ginger Root took the stage before Thundercat, and the Huntington Beach natives had the crowd cheering before they struck their first note. Band leader and singer-songwriter Cameron Lew looked like he was born to be up there, directing touring members Matt Carney (drums) and Dylan Hovis (bass) as well as the audience with minimal effort while crooning into a bright red, upside down telephone. They were a perfect pairing with the main attraction on an ideal summer night, their bubbly tunes impeccably catchy and impossibly funky.

After that, the man himself — the coolest man I’ve ever seen — took the stage. A man who is truly more cat than human. No literally — peep the paw prints on his palms. Born Stephen Lee Bruner in his native LA, he even moves with the energy of a feline: swift and sleek, totally in control and always on his own terms. His fingers flew across the bass strings as quickly and naturally as he cracked the next joke in his songs. A handful of times throughout the night, his concentrated demeanor melted away and he blessed us with his brilliant child-like smile.

It’s really hard not to smile yourself when you’re at a Thundercat concert. It’s almost like his long fingers emit this hypnotic joy, electrifying his fans and spreading pure glee. Even when he isn’t grinning, the 37-year-old musician and actor has this air of amazement, as if he can’t believe how talented he is either.

After welcoming us a few songs into his set, he paused and said, “I’m in Star Wars.” Everyone cheered and he beamed, proudly repeating, “I’m in Star Wars. I can’t believe I get to say that. I’m in Star Wars.” The well-deserved applause intensified, and Thundercat smiled while closing his eyes, soaking in the tender moment.

Thundercat

Over the next hour or so, the lawn and the stage were enveloped in a mutual bliss, everyone forgetting they were smack in the middle of DTLA; Thundercat center stage showing us exactly why it’s OK — in fact, better — to just breathe in and go with the flow. The result will inevitably be beautiful, and if you’re lucky (or Thundercat), a straight jam. His bedazzled Gucci hair barrettes sparkled in the spotlight as he shredded, a constant glinting reminder that Thundercat is a star.

For a man who isn’t afraid to say what all of us are thinking (for example, “If you’re not bringing tacos, I suggest you turn and walk away” and “I may be covered in cat hair, but I still smell good”), Bruner was surprisingly demure onstage. He wasn’t exactly quiet, but when he did talk, he was intentional and he didn’t mince words. He spoke about how many friends he has lost lately, noting how the entire crowd has lost so many loved ones over the last two years, before dedicating a song to comedian Jak Knight.

“We just lost Michael Henderson, too. Do you know him?” Silence. “I assumed as much … He played with Miles Davis.”

Not so fast — he backtracked, noting that Michael Henderson also did way more than play with Miles Davis. As if that wasn’t enough. His tone was solid but somber.

“It is what it is,” he stated with a wistful, yet peaceful acceptance while directly referencing his Grammy-winning album It Is What It Is that dropped in 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the commonly used phrase isn’t just the title of Thundercat’s latest masterpiece. It’s also a lesson we could all benefit to keep in mind as we watch society disintegrate and our planet melt through the gaps in between our fingers. There’s only so much chaos and heartache we can stomach before we have to accept it for what it is. Not to roll over by any means but instead find acceptance and balance throughout life. Because why go down in a panic when we could enjoy the ride?

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Looking back looks oh so good on Bright Eyes at LA’s Greek Theatre

June 30, 2022 by 1 Comment

Bright EyesBy Rochelle Shipman //

Bright Eyes with Cate Le Bon //
Greek Theatre – Los Angeles
June 23rd, 2022 //

There’s good news, and there’s bad news. The bad news is that Americans with uteruses lost the right to make a decision about their own bodies last week. The good news is that Conor Oberst is OK. And therefore, somehow, some day, some way … we will be OK, too.

Bright Eyes haven’t exactly had a smooth start to their pandemic-plagued “Down in the Weeds Where the World Once Was Tour” across the U.S., with Oberst hurting his wrist from a fall during their Detroit gig early on the first leg. Concerned fans came out of the internet woodwork shortly thereafter, nearly cataloging his onstage behavior night to night, wondering if his well-documented demons would let him make it through the next show. The tour’s second leg kicked off this month with markedly less hitches, and by the time Oberst and his sidekicks made it to LA (“a second home for many of us” as he noted), they delivered a performance that was nothing short of astounding.

With Bright Eyes fresh off the release of their first three companion EPs in May, it’s clear that looking back looks good on them. The band was tighter than ever, with Nate Walcott perched on his rightful podium of keyboards and strings and Mike Mogis flanking Oberst as his literal righthand man. They opened with “Dance and Sing” before testing the fabric of the crowd’s emotions with a one-two punch featuring “Lover I Don’t Have to Love” followed immediately by “Bowl of Oranges”. (Personally, I am writing this from the grave as a result.)

Bright Eyes weaved in a rightful amount of newer material, finally offering 2020’s Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was the proper live show it deserved. And it genuinely looked like they had a blast. Oberst showed off some new dance moves he must have learned while in lockdown, thrashing about the stage with a single earring and a glittery black guitar. The entire show carried an underlying adrenaline rush, quiet but consistent, threatening to burst through.

However, nothing set the crowd off quite like the older tunes, especially after two and a half years at home isolated from society. We were treated to classics like “Old Soul Song”, “Falling Out of Love at This Volume”, “Poison Oak”, “Another Travelin’ Song” and even “Something Vague” as well as “Neely O’Hara”. As if that wasn’t enough, they hit us with an unbelievable encore led by “First Day of My Life” and “I Believe in Symmetry” before closing a perfect night with “One for You, One for Me”.

Bright Eyes

There is something about seeing a band you never thought you’d get to see again — an anticipation and unspoken electrical tension lingers before the music actually starts. It melts away into an elated disbelief after about 4-5 songs as wide-eyed fans exchange toothy grins with perfect strangers, saying everything without having to say anything at all. Everyone at the Greek Theatre held that night close with the same precious care, still unable to believe to some degree that we were back together again, finally back with Bright Eyes. You could have heard a pin — or in California, a vape pen — drop during “Poison Oak” off 2005’s I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning as screams of “I love you, Conor!” filled the air during breaks in the action. Oberst moved about the stage with a ferociousness that made it difficult to tell just how genuine his own enjoyment was, but he did touch upon the importance of us treating each other with care and kindness while clasping hands with some stunned fans in the front row. At one point, he even made a joke about having a stock of “cry tests” on the group’s tour bus with their COVID-19 tests. If anyone in the band isn’t sad enough he trolled, they’re fired.

As far as Bright Eyes shows go, this was one for the books. It was so solid, in fact, that I found myself getting angry during it. “Who are these people online to question Oberst, to act as though he was ever pretending to be someone he’s not, here in the year 2022?” I pondered. Sure, he slurred a few words throughout the set, but I can’t recall a show in the last 15 years where he didn’t. As a lifelong Bright Eyes fan, yes, there are days and moments I lose worrying about his own wellbeing, but then I stop myself. I remember that’s part of what I signed up for as a fan of Oberst’s work, and that listening closely to any album he’s released reminds me it’s actually par for the course. I often try to consider the fact that quite possibly those faceless fans haven’t been lucky to see him live as many times as I have. Or perhaps they found him a bit more recently via Phoebe Bridgers, unaware just how deep Oberst’s emotional register actually goes. Maybe they just don’t realize that he’s singing pages out of his personal diary.

Here’s the thing about Oberst: the man is depressed. At the age of 42, he has never even pretended that he’s not depressed. He was born that way and has lived that way for decades, documenting it in plain sight. A few years ago, he went through a divorce, suddenly lost a brother and battled some health issues. Then came the pandemic, which halted life in a very specific way for musicians in particular. We were all pretty isolated for about two years, which is the last thing a depressed person needs no matter what they might say. And despite all of that depression, he still drags himself onstage night after night, year after year, to tell us in person that he’s depressed. As someone myself with a crippling case of lifelong depression, I can honestly say I don’t know how he does it.

The fact that Oberst has made it through alive to this point is an achievement in and of itself. Simply the fact that he’s still here at all, after the past few years of hell we have all collectively gone through, is an accomplishment deserving of flowers — bouquets on bouquets that we must hand out while the native of Nebraska is still here to receive them.

It’s safe to say that Oberst is doing phenomenal, all things considered. I have to admit his worldwide web warriors had me a little worried before this show, but he proved them wrong. Bright Eyes will be here to serenade us through much, much worse for years to come. After all, Oberst said it himself by quipping near the end of the night: “We’ll be back, don’t you worry … like a real bad cancer.”

Setlist:
Dance and Sing
Lover I Don’t Have to Love
Bowl of Oranges
Mariana Trench
One and Done (with “Whole Lotta Love” drum outro tease)
Old Soul Song (for the New World Order)
Jejune Stars
No One Would Riot for Less
Falling Out of Love at This Volume
Persona non grata
Something Vague
Stairwell Song
Neely O’Hara
Poison Oak
Another Travelin’ Song
Comet Song

Encore:
First Day of My Life
I Believe in Symmetry
One for You, One for Me

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Animal Collective haven’t forgotten how to be delightfully weird, delivering a manic mind melt at LA’s Greek Theatre

May 23, 2022 by 1 Comment

Animal CollectiveBy Rochelle Shipman //

Animal Collective with SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE //
Greek Theatre – Los Angeles
May 20th, 2022 //

It’s safe to say that a lot has changed in the world over the last two years, but there’s one thing that has thankfully remained the same about Animal Collective: they’re still weird as shit and delightful as all hell.

Their triumphant display at the Greek Theatre felt like a long-awaited psychedelic hug, a comforting two hours of pure and manic mind melt. Animal Collective’s music can be somewhat divisive, so to be with 5,000 of your newest friends at a concert screaming along to some of your most treasured songs … it never gets old, even if you don’t know exactly what it is that they’re saying all the time. In fact, that only adds to the beauty of it since they formed more than two decades ago.

Friday’s headlining performance in LA all the sweet spots. The last pre-pandemic tour or two had each member of Animal Collective tucked behind rightful, yet artful individual podiums, which decorated the stage and elevated the show in its own right. But after a chaotic couple of years for all of us, it felt really good to have all four of them together on the same stage, instruments spread about, baring it all in front of a live audience with nothing except a few cables and some keyboards separating them. It was a solid reminder that these guys make these stunningly intricate songs with their own human hands after all.

Avey Tare (David Portner), Deakin (Josh Dibb) and Geologist (Brian Weitz) pivoted back and forth from strings to keys and synths, rarely looking up and never missing a beat, while just watching Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) coo and harmonize from behind his drum kit damn near felt like a privilege. And yet, they hardly exchanged so much as a glance at each other, somehow bringing an even more impressive layer to the group’s already-electrifying catalog.

Animal Collective

The setlist was perfect, the visuals were on point as ever and the band was tight on this night. Animal Collective are never loose per se — their music literally doesn’t allow it — but they glided through each song with such a familiar air of ease. In the handful of shows I’ve been lucky enough to catch over the years, they tend to use their live shows to test out brand-new material and dip into older songs — both beloved favorites and those that don’t always get to see the light of day. Given the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years, it’s safe to say that their 11th and newest studio album Time Skiffs didn’t exactly get that same pre-release tour treatment. This show made up for that, not only with the band righteously tearing through the bulk of the nine-track LP that dropped in February, but also with the packs of “Time Spliffs” rolling papers available at the merch table (right next to the safe abortion access information).

In addition to the Skiffs and one or two new songs, Animal Collective offered cuts from Centipede HZ, Strawberry Jam, Merriweather Post Pavilion and two songs off ODDSAC. They didn’t touch Painting With or any of the fantastic singles from the EPs surrounding it, and they didn’t dig into anything pre-Strawberry Jam. As a Strawberry Jam purist, I again felt privileged to be there. Not only did we get to hear “Chores”, but we got a fiery encore of “Unsolved Mysteries” right into a raucous rendition of “For Reverend Green” to close out a four-song encore.

Within seconds of the house lights flickering on, someone in front of me lamented the absence of “My Girls”. He turned around and said, “I don’t get it. That was such a weak ending. Why wouldn’t they play their biggest hit?” To clarify (and as I confirmed by the look on his friend’s face), “For Reverend Green” was not a weak ending. It was, in fact, exhilarating. And it’s nothing against that dude — it was his first Animal Collective show. He’ll probably enjoy the next one more because he won’t be expecting it, and maybe he’ll even be surprised.

Animal Collective didn’t play “My Girls” partially because that guy expected it. They don’t champion their biggest hit in a way that many bands would. They’re not there to play the hits, and it’s clear at this phase in their career that they don’t have to be. Their live stage time is and always has been cherished among them, reserved for the songs they feel like sharing with fans and nothing else. For us, it’s just a privilege to bear witness after all these years.

Setlist:
Passer-By
Bluish
Gem and I
Wide Eyed
Prester John
Cherokee
In the Flowers
Working
Strung With Everything
We Go Back
Chores
Applesauce

Encore:
Screens
No More Runnin
Unsolved Mysteries
For Reverend Green

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

From T-Pain to Usher, Smokin Grooves Fest turns up the heat in 2019 with a slew of top-notch talent

June 19, 2019 by 2 Comments
Smokin Grooves Fest 2019 - Usher


Usher

By Rochelle Shipman //

Smokin Grooves Fest //
The Queen Mary – Long Beach, CA
June 15th, 2019 //

Much more than a supremely awkward sunburn, this year’s Soulection-helmed Smokin Grooves Fest went off without a hitch. The day began just like all of the best R&B songs — dark and moody, with the empty threat of rain and no sign of reprieve. After a few hours though, the sun broke through the drear, bathing the stylish, half-dressed attendees in a golden light fitting to almost every act playing the one-day festival at the Queen Mary.

The obvious draw in 2019 was the headliners — Usher making a rare, triumphant appearance and our queen, Erykah Badu, returning to continue her reign after last year’s installment. But if that wasn’t enough reason to attend, the young blood made sure no performance time went wasted on Saturday.

Rising star Choker kicked things off on the Groovin’ Stage, amassing an impressive crowd-in-wait for, as he called it, “a matinee show.” Armed with little more than some great earrings, a serious head of hair and his usual falsetto, Choker managed to deliver an intimate set despite the space between the stage and crowd. Fans in attendance could be heard soft-screaming to every word, clearly elated to finally see Choker in action.

The sun finally came out for none other than T-Pain. Bouncing onstage like Tigger, T-Pain made a case for deserving a later set time (and was probably indirectly responsible for the wave of people passing out around 6 p.m.). The man is a party in a human body, and he’s aging like a fine wine — his music, his dance moves, all of it. It’s clear he belongs on that stage, whether it’s 2:15 or 10:15 p.m.

Smokin Grooves Fest 2019 - T-Pain


T-Pain

If T-Pain brought the sun out, Raveena made it shine. The stunning songstress seemed to sparkle onstage, fresh off the release of her debut album Lucid. Her warm, dreamy vocals floated through the pristine afternoon, effectively hypnotizing a grateful crowd that didn’t seem to have an end. Even her smile was infectious. After another ethereal song, someone shouted out, “We love your energy!”

Bringing a different flavor of energy, though precisely what the crowd needed after Raveena’s mellow sound, was Leven Kali. The Los Angeles singer-songwriter has spent the last few years collaborating with some of R&B’s and hip hop’s most talented artists, but he just released his own first major project Low Tide. Kali’s performance at Smokin Grooves proved that we were right to wait for him to take his time. Fans of Anderson .Paak will recognize the same level of adrenaline, with Kali’s band delivering the psych-dance groove to form their own impressive foundation for the future.

Afternoon turned to evening with nothing but queens and Daniel Caesar, who, let’s be honest, sings like a goddamn queen himself. Chicago’s Ravyn Lenae brought her angelic voice back to Long Beach for another go-around as she stunted across the Smokin’ Stage in her high-heeled Converse boots. Kali Uchis, on the other hand, blessed us with the mere vision of her, running through the motions of her stellar Isolation tracks like she couldn’t be bothered while looking like a million bucks.

2018’s top dawg Ella Mai shook the crowd up, delivering a polished, poppy set to a group of spectators who couldn’t have been more in love. Dreamville’s first female signee Ari Lennox also returned for a second year, although this time, hot off the drop of her dazzling debut LP Shea Butter Baby, she was back with 10 times the amount of fans — and very deservedly so. The edge in her voice complemented the raw smile plastered on her face. Lennox knew she had earned her spot toward the top of the 2019 lineup, and that only made her fans scream that much louder.

Smokin Grooves Fest 2019 - Kali Uchis


Kali Uchis

As the sun set over the Pacific Ocean, the crowd swelled in front of the festival’s main stage, waiting for our lord and savior Erykah Badu. We waited. And we waited. Finally, 30 minutes later, Ms. Badu walked out and surveyed the scene before all was forgiven. Her shortened set was still probably more than the sun-dried fans could handle, with her vocals perfect and her vibe far-reaching and unmatched. As she threw her body left and right, jutting her limbs into the air and even jumping down to clasp a few lucky hands, you could feel a collective healing washing over the grounds. Before she left, she even thanked us for waiting for her, as though we had done her a favor. Psh.

How do you follow Erykah Badu? I didn’t think it could be done until about five seconds into Usher’s performance. He came out swinging, energy and choreography at 110 percent, so fast and fierce that I yelped, “Holy shit!” I grew up listening to Usher and respect him for days, but I didn’t expect him to put on one of the most enjoyable shows I’ve witnessed in 2019 so far. To say “he’s still got it” wouldn’t nearly be enough. So, just trust me when I say “you’ve gotta get yourself to an Usher show.”

Proving to be a supremely enjoyable day of music at its heart, Smokin Grooves showcased some strong, young talent and reminded us how lucky we are to have some of the OGs still willing to dance with us. With R&B’s new crop of talent continuing to innovate and inspire, here’s hoping that the festival will keep coming back year after year.

That’s right … I’m lookin’ at you, Joe Kay.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Premiere: Foxx Bodies – ‘The Walk’ music video

January 28, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Foxx Bodies

Desert punks Foxx Bodies didn’t come to play around. They moved to Los Angeles from Arizona not quite two years ago and have made a lot of noise since their arrival.

In between a few music videos, endless shows and recording their new album Vixen, they opened for the now-disbanded Sorority Noise on their “You’re Not As _____ As You Think” and now Foxx Bodies are in the process of filming a documentary about their own history with the abuse that came to inspire so much of their material.

Last year was a busy one for the foxxes, but 2019 promises to be even fuller. Before they drop their sophomore studio effort, they wanted to release one more video in support of their self-titled debut, calling it a proper send-off as they move onto the next phase of the band.

“Our first record was recorded in a day, after we had only been a band for a month,” guitarist Bailey Moses explains. “It’s rough and sloppy and punk as fuck. We’re really excited to show everyone this music video as an end cap to that first chapter of Foxx Bodies. This is the first one we filmed in Los Angeles, making it the perfect bridge between our old and new music.”

Foxx Bodies - 2019 Winter Tour

Fox Boddies’ sound is fun, impossibly infectious and self-described as “feminist surf punk,” but the message behind their music is far from light — something that’s readily apparent in lead singer Bella Vanek’s trademark screeches and palpable vocal emotion.

The quartet spent a few weeks in Seattle last fall, recording its upcoming LP with legendary indie-rock producer John Goodmanson (Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, Death Cab for Cutie) and promising that it will continue to talk about the very things that make so many people these days uncomfortable.

“Vixen continues on the Foxx Bodies theme of talking about the hard shit, the things that stem from your childhood trauma,” Moses says. “Our first record focused largely on sexual abuse, but this one explores the aftermath of that. Mental health, religious stigmas, eating disorders … all of the shit you end up having as an adult and need to process. We want this album to be something people can listen to easier, but still feel that punch in the gut when they pay attention to the lyrical content.”

Foxx Bodies are hitting the road next month for their first tour in 2019, and their live show is truly unmatched (parental discretion advised). They’re playing in both LA at the Viper Room on February 15th and in the Bay Area at the iconic, non-profit Berkeley club 924 Gilman — or known by locals as just “Gilman” — in March, so make sure to take a peek at their new music video for “The Walk” below, which we have premiered exclusively here at Showbams, before copping tickets to one of their shows.

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Courtney Barnett reminds us why she’s simply the coolest at LA’s Greek Theatre

October 10, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Courtney BarnettBy Rochelle Shipman //

Courtney Barnett with Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, Waxahatchee //
Greek Theatre – Los Angeles
October 5th, 2018 //

Courtney Barnett is the coolest. There’s no way around it. And if you’ve been lucky enough to see her live, you know it and you also know that she, somehow, still doesn’t know it herself.

Take this for example: Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks and Waxahatchee supported her at the Greek Theatre last Friday, and Malkmus brings out former Sonic Youth member Kim Gordon (maybe the only person cooler than Barnett). I felt like they were going to turn the lights on after Malkmus’ set and end the show by accident.

Of course, they didn’t, and towards the end of her headlining set, Barnett introduced her own special guest, which, mind you, could’ve been almost anyone on the planet since this was LA after all and Gordon was probably still backstage.

But she reintroduces Waxahatchee, who joins her for a cover of Elyse Weinberg’s “Houses”. It was a song I’d never heard before, but it was crisp and tender and almost broke my heart with how perfect they sounded. I was so damn happy that Barnett was cool enough to invite one of her opening acts back out onstage instead of inviting, say, Slash.

Courtney Barnett

When she wasn’t sharing the spotlight with Waxahatchee, Barnett was sharing it equally with the rest of her stellar backing band, but it was mostly just difficult to take your eyes off of her. Everything she does feels casual, from her outfit to her guitar playing, slinging her instrument around like it was an extension of herself. Even her delivery of the wrenching reality that the 30-year-old Australian singer-songwriter articulates so well is casual, singing like the end of the world isn’t a mere 22 years away.

Barnett’s second studio LP Tell Me How You Really Feel is the pissed-off soundtrack that 2018 deserves, but she still couldn’t help but smile throughout the show. She walked the length of the stage as if she owned it (though casually), clearly having found her comfort level playing to thousands.

For an hour and a half, Barnett mostly just reveled in the music and the company, keeping the banter limited and the breaths nearly nonexistent. But for a few moments here and there, she looked like she’d just realized that she’s the coolest. And then she’d switch the focus and start another riff.

Setlist:
Hopefulessness
City Looks Pretty
Avant Gardener
Need a Little Time
Nameless, Faceless
I’m Not Your Mother, I’m Not Your Bitch
Crippling Self Doubt and a General Lack of Self Confidence
Small Poppies
An Illustration of Loneliness (Sleepless in New York)
Small Talk
Depreston
Are You Looking After Yourself?
Elevator Operator
Houses (Elyse Weinberg cover) (with Waxahatchee)
Charity
History Eraser

Encore:
Everything Is Free (Gillian Welch cover)
Anonymous Club
Pedestrian at Best

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Phoebe Bridgers inspires a sold-out crowd in her hometown at LA’s Lodge Room

December 18, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Phoebe BridgersBy Rochelle Shipman //

Phoebe Bridgers with Gold Star //
Lodge Room – Los Angeles
December 16th, 2017 //

Phoebe Bridgers’ debut LP came out in September, but her album release show got pushed back two months. But for the eager fans who attended her sold-out concert at Lodge Room, Highland Park’s newest venue, it was well worth the wait.

The praise for Stranger in the Alps has only gotten louder since it dropped, and the LA native’s debut has found its way onto — and at the top of — a handful of year-end lists. Bridgers’ songs revolve around her stark storytelling, in a way that comes off as deeply personal, yet still feels relatable to the listener.

During much of Bridgers’ show last Saturday, the intimacy weaved within her songs spread far throughout the crowd. Little else could be heard as she worked her way through most of the album, pausing every now and then to acknowledge her band or shoot fans a coy smile.

Phoebe Bridgers

Even if she had been alone onstage the entire time, the audience’s rapt attention still wouldn’t have wavered, but halfway through her set, Bridgers brought out close friend Conor Oberst as the two delivered a transcendent performance of “Would You Rather”. Opening act Gold Star, the solo project of LA-based singer-songwriter Marlon Rabenreither, later joined Bridgers and Oberst onstage for a cover of “Christmas Song” by McCarthy Trenching, a band from Oberst’s native Omaha.

The only thing disappointing about Bridgers’ performance was being close enough to see the setlist. She was supposed to perform her devastating version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, but the guitar gods unfortunately threw a wrench in that. Instead, she ended the night quietly with just keyboardist/Stranger co-producer Ethan Gruska, performing a ringing rendition of “You Missed My Heart” by Mark Kozelek (aka Sun Kil Moon).

From the older couple right next to me to the 18-year-olds standing dead center, the eager eyes in the audience captured it best. Incredibly, Bridgers’ album release show will likely be one of the last times we’ll be able to catch her in such an intimate setting.

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After a long wait between albums, Mister Heavenly resurface at Resident DTLA

October 27, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Mister HeavenlyBy Rochelle Shipman //

Mister Heavenly //
Resident DTLA – Los Angeles
October 21st, 2017 //

In 2011, indie-rock supergroup Mister Heavenly dropped a stellar debut album titled Out of Love, went on a quick tour and disappeared. Comprised of Honus Honus (Man Man), Nick Thorburn (Islands, The Unicorns) and Joe Plummer (Cold War Kids), the band members of Mister Heavenly have been understandably busy.

Now six long years later, they’ve given us Boxing the Moonlight, another perky, deeply fun entry into the discography of doom wop. They brought the new album on the road and hit Resident DTLA, where they earned more than six years’ worth of praise from an eager and lively audience. Here’s hoping we won’t have to wait another six for the next one!

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Get ready for the world to fall in love with 23-year-old rising star Amber Mark

August 2, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Amber MarkBy Rochelle Shipman //

Amber Mark //
Hammer Museum – Los Angeles
July 27th, 2017 //

Amber Mark has been one of the most optimistic voices to come out of the dumpster fire that so far is 2017. Her colorful debut EP titled 3:33 (and unrelated to Jay-Z’s 4:44) sees her taking a tragedy and using it as motivation to live and believe again. She’s quickly setting her mark as a worldly pop star in an industry that is generally otherwise anything but.

During her show last Thursday at the Hammer Museum near UCLA, the 23-year-old manned the stage with grace and gratitude, if not a shred of shyness that will surely disappear in the near future as the world falls in love with her.

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Miguel’s silky-smooth voice captivates at this year’s Sound in Focus series opener

July 19, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Sound in Focus - MiguelBy Rochelle Shipman //

Sound in Focus: Miguel with Gabriel Garzón-Montano //
Annenberg Space for Photography – Los Angeles
July 23rd, 2016 //

KCRW kicked off their annual Sound in Focus concert series last Saturday, bringing plenty of R&B grooves to the Annenberg Space for Photography.

Stones Throw Records’ Gabriel Garzón-Montano, who dropped the trip-hop-tinted Jardín earlier this year, got things started. Even though no one else but a drummer accompanied him, he effortlessly commanded the stage even while being tucked behind his keyboard.

Sound in Focus - Gabriel Garzón-Montano


Gabriel Garzón-Montano

Once the sun set and Miguel stepped onstage, the audience was transported somewhere else entirely. Born and raised in LA, the 31-year-old’s silky-smooth voice floated through the cool evening breeze over the twinkle lights in the trees, giving the impression of an island retreat rather than a concert in the park.

With the exception of an impromptu barstool-crooner cut, he spent the majority of his set on the tip of the stage, captivating a crowd that could have only otherwise looked away to admire the sultry enthusiasm of the ASL translators.

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Conor Oberst’s sad songs make us feel happy at LA’s Greek Theatre

May 17, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Conor OberstBy Rochelle Shipman //

Conor Oberst with Julien Baker //
Greek Theatre – Los Angeles
May 13th, 2017 //

As the crowd filled into the Greek Theatre during Julien Baker’s opening set last Saturday, the young singer softly said it best: sad songs simply make us feel happy.

This is what keeps fans coming back to see Conor Oberst year after year, this most recent time in support of his latest release Salutations. This is what quieted the crowd low enough to hear a sniffle or two during songs like “Lua”, which is now 12 years old and still inciting a cheerful uproar as it crescendoed midway through.

And for anyone who has been comforted by Oberst at some point during the last 20-plus years of his career, this was the truth that will keep us listening for 20 more.

Setlist:
Afterthought
Four Winds (Bright Eyes song)
Time Forgot
Too Late to Fixate
Till St. Dymphna Kicks Us Out
Eagle on a Pole
Barbary Coast (Later)
Well Whiskey (Bright Eyes song)
Mamah Borthwick (A Sketch)
Anytime Soon/Overdue
Map of the World (Monsters of Folk cover)
Lua (Bright Eyes song)
Jack at the Asylum (The Felice Brothers cover)
Salutations
Artifact #1
Poison Oak (Bright Eyes song)
A Little Uncanny

Encore:

Unknown (new song)
Train Under Water (Bright Eyes song)
Napalm

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Cursive’s Tim Kasher breathes an orchestral breath into his solo music at The Echo

May 9, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Tim KasherBy Rochelle Shipman //

Tim Kasher //
The Echo – Los Angeles
May 3rd, 2017 //

Tim Kasher stopped by The Echo in LA last Wednesday during his tour behind No Resolution, the latest LP in a string of beautifully bummer solo releases about the realities of growing up and growing old.

The Cursive/Good Life frontman tapped a carefully constructed backing band to breathe an orchestral breath into some cuts from his extensive catalog, including some older songs that don’t normally get the spotlight.

He also announced the release of a feature film he wrote and directed that’s coming later this year, seemingly (fortunately/unfortunately) unrelated to his 2013 studio album Adult Film.

Setlist:
A Raincloud Is a Raincloud
Cold Love
Messes
Runts
No Fireworks
Lay Down Your Weapons
Break Me Open
Night and Day (The Good Life cover)
Monogamy
An Answer for Everything
Into the Fold (Cursive cover)
Bloody Murderer (Cursive cover)
The Prodigal Husband
No Secret

Encore:
From the Hips (Cursive cover)
Truly Freaking Out

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Pond invigorate a sold-out crowd at The Echo

April 25, 2017 by Leave a Comment

PondBy Rochelle Shipman //

Pond //
The Echo – Los Angeles
April 20th, 2017 //

Australian psych-rockers Pond stopped through LA in between Coachella dates last Thursday, playing to a sweaty, sold-out Echo. Most of the crowd looked just young enough to be out past their bedtime, but once the quintet hit the stage, they perked right up.

With a youthful, invigorating energy, Pond delivered a solid set with a few new songs from their upcoming LP The Weather — all of which their fans seemed to know already. Though lead vocalist/guitarist Nick Allbrook easily commanded the spotlight onstage with several dramatic moves, all five members — Jay “Gumby” Watson, Shiny Joe Ryan, Jamie Terry and Ginolé — impressively shared the tiny stage equally, clearly in tune with each other literally and physically.

Pond’s punchy sound and attitude is exactly what rock ‘n’ roll needs right now if it’s going to have any chance of competing with current spotlight-stealers like Kendrick Lamar, Chance the Rapper and Frank Ocean. Pond’s new album is due out May 5th, so their current U.S. tour has just started. If you can swing it, these guys are definitely worth your time.

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