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Goldenvoice shares 2023 Coachella sideshows

February 22, 2023 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Love is in the air as it always is during the month of February, and even if you didn’t have someone special to spend Valentine’s Day with — no big deal! — this year, there’s still plenty of live music in California to gush over less than two months from now. Well, that’s because Goldenvoice has once again revealed Coachella’s annual sideshows throughout the greater Los Angeles area.

The three-day, two-weekend music festival will welcome Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK and Frank Ocean as headliners for its 22nd edition this April, and the concert promoter has lined up a good amount of gigs in a span of less than two weeks. Most of the venues hosting will be the same as in years past, but Sound Nightclub will feature the most — a total of seven — this time with The Roxy Theatre, The Novo and the Fox Theater Pomona right behind that count at five each.

While the festivities across SoCal will officially kick off with a surprise when a TBA act takes the stage in Pomona on April 12th, the following acts will also perform inside LA County:

The Breeders (with The Linda Lindas), Momma, Pi’erre Bourne (with AG Club), Remi Wolf (with Lava La Rue), Kyle Watson, Dennis Cruz and Chris Stussy, Bakar, Benee, FKJ, Cannons, Destroy Boys (with Soul Glo and The Murder Capital), Gabriels, Hiatus Kaiyote (with a DJ set by El Michels Affair), Vintage Culture + Colyn, Angèle, Blondie (with The Linda Lindas), Christine and the Queens (with Lewis OfMan), Ethel Cain, Monolink (DJ set), Mura Masa, Overmono, Willow and Yves Tumor, 2ManyDJs (DJ set), Big Wild + Elderbrook, Bratty + Los Bitchos (with Conexión Divina), Donovan’s Yard and Uncle Waffles, Mathame + Cassian, MUNA, Yaeji (with LP Giobbi), John Digweed and Nora En Pure. See the full list of sideshows in the poster above.

Goldenvoice Presents April 2023 🕺 get down desert-style all month long with intimate performances by artists on this year’s Coachella lineup. learn more & enter to win a pair of Coachella passes & tickets to EVERY Goldenvoice Presents April show: https://t.co/qI1Jxhm8Y4 🌵 pic.twitter.com/Hsv4pryPjM

— goldenvoice (@goldenvoice) February 22, 2023

Once again, there will be no special showcase at the Palm Springs Air Museum like there was back in 2017, though this year will see the Greek Theatre get in on the action for the first time when the historic LA amphitheater welcomes Blondie with The Linda Lindas also on the bill. It’s also worth noting that the famed desert music venue Pappy & Harriet’s will not be in the equation for a change after playing a key role previously.

For more than a decade now, Goldenvoice CEO Paul Tollett and his sidekicks have been cashing in off of Coachella more and more with the inclusion of these sideshows. A peak of 62 came in 2017 after 52 were in announced in 2018, and since then the number has dropped considerably with 32 slated for this year, 44 in 2022 and 34 in 2019. It’s safe to say that there’s always an eclectic assortment of both talent and genres, and 2023 will follow suit as the El Rey Theatre welcomes an evening of punk rock courtesy of Destroy Boys that boasts support from Soul Glo and The Murder Capital followed two nights later by Latin-flavored acts Bratty and Los Bitchos.

Other sideshows that deserved to be mentioned include FKJ at the Fox Theater Pomona, Cannons at The Roxy, Hiatus Kaiyote with El Michels Affair (DJ set) at The Novo, 2ManyDJs (DJ set) at The Fonda Theatre and the legendary John Digweed at Sound Nightclub. Meanwhile, the Santa Barbara Bowl will have a couple of top-notch dates of their own not pictured above that includes The Chemical Brothers with Overmono (DJ set) on April 16th and FKJ on April 19th.

Tickets for the sideshows go on sale here this Friday, February 24th at Noon PT over the next three weeks, and fans can also win a pair of Weekend 2 passes to Coachella plus two Golden tickets that grant access to every “Goldenvoice Presents April” show this year. Wishing you all the best of luck!

UPDATE (March 31): Goldenvoice has unveiled who the TBA act will be for Wednesday, April 12th at the Fox Pomona Theater, and it’s none other than boygenius. The indie-rock supergroup comprised of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus will give fans a taste of their new debut LP The Record, which was released today, before heading to the Empire Polo Club for their Saturday sets at Coachella. Tickets to the show can be purchased here, but you will want to grab them fast before they’re all gone!

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: 2ManyDJs, AG Club, Angèle, Bakar, BENEE, Big Wild, Big Wild + Elderbrook, Blondie, boygenius, BRATTY, BRATTY + Los Bitchos, Cannons, Cassian, Chris Stussy, Christine and the Queens, Coachella, Coachella 2023, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2023, Coachella sideshows, Colyn, Conexión Divina, Dennis Cruz, Dennis Cruz + Chris Stussy, Destroy Boys, Donavan's Yard, El Michels Affair, El Rey, El Rey Theatre, Elderbrook, Ethel Cain, FKJ, Fox Theater Pomona, Gabriels, Greek Theatre, Hiatus Kaiyote, John Digweed, Julien Baker, Kyle Watson, Lava La Rue, Lewis OfMan, Los Bitchos, LP Giobbi, Lucy Dacus, Mathame, Mathame + Cassian, Momma, Monolink, MUNA, Mura Masa, Nora En Pure, Overmono, Pappy & Harriet's, Phoebe Bridgers, Pi'erre Bourne, Remi Wolf, Santa Barbara Bowl, Soul Glo, Sound Nightclub, The Breeders, The Chemical Brothers, The Fonda Theatre, The Glass House, The Linda Lindas, The Murder Capital, The Novo, The Novo DTLA, The Roxy, The Roxy Theatre, Uncle Waffles, Vintage Culture, Willow, Yaeji, Yves Tumor

Goldenvoice brings back Coachella sideshows for 2022

February 14, 2022 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

It’s Valentine’s Day once again, and Goldenvoice is honoring its long-running tradition now of unveiling Coachella’s sideshows in and around the greater Los Angeles area.

With the three-day, two-weekend music festival returning to the desert this April for the first time after a three-year layoff due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the concert promoter has lined up a slew of gigs over a stretch of more than two weeks. And although most of the venues hosting will be the same as before outside of the newly added Sound Nightclub, two in Pomona — the Fox Theater and The Glass House — will be the home for a good chunk of them starting April 12th with King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard.

The festivities, meanwhile, will officially kick off a few days earlier on April 9th when Rina Sawayama performs at The Fonda Theatre. In addition to the Japanese-born singer-songwriter, the following acts will also take the stage inside and outside of LA County:

Epik High, Chicano Batman, Denzel Curry, Pabllo Vittar, Role Model, 100 gecs, Molchat Doma, Honey Dijon, Arooj Aftab, BADBADNOTGOOD (with Freddie Gibbs and Madlib aka MadGibbs), Beach Bunny, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Masego, MEUTE, Wallows (with The Regrettes), Amber Mark, beabadoobee, Chelsea Cutler, L’Impératrice (with Inner Wave), Purple Disco Machine, Still Woozy, Code Orange, Crumb, Damian Lazarus, Måneskin, Mika, Spiritualized, Viagra Boys, Ed Maverick, girl in red (with Holly Humberstone), Hot Chip (with Ela Minus), Koffee (with Mariah the Scientist), Michael Bibi, Nathy Peluso, Nilüfer Yanya and Altın Gün, PUP (with Skegss), The Marías, Dixon, Yard Act, Fred again.. and Omar Apollo. See the full list of sideshows in the poster above.

From the polo fields to you 👉 Goldenvoice Presents April 2022 🌴 visit https://t.co/qI1JxhDc04 to learn more & be entered to win a pair of Coachella passes + Golden tickets that grant you access to every show ✨ Tickets on sale starting Friday 2.18 pic.twitter.com/ZvSiH72CN7

— goldenvoice (@goldenvoice) February 14, 2022

Unlike in previous years, no TBA dates are listed this time or a special showcase like there was back in 2017 at the Palm Springs Air Museum the night before Coachella’s first weekend.

Since 2012, Goldenvoice CEO Paul Tollett and company have made a point of monetizing off Coachella more and more by adding these sideshows to its portfolio and despite the number of them falling to 34 in 2019 after scheduling as many as 53 in 2018 and 62 in 2017, this year’s slate has climbed to 44 in total even with an average of 160,000 new coronavirus cases being recorded in the U.S. each day. But while Goldenvoice may have finally found a “sweet spot” when it comes to how many sideshows to book each spring, it has always showcased an eclectic array of genres and 2022 will be no different with a Brazilian drag queen (Pabllo Vittar) and a self-described “techno marching band” (MEUTE) on the bill.

Other highlights worth sharing include LA four-piece Chicano Batman at the Fox Theater Pomona, two nights of Canadian instrumental trio BADBADNOTGOOD with Freddie Gibbs and Madlib at The Novo in downtown LA, 28-year-old R&B singer-songwriter Amber Mark at the El Rey Theatre and London-based producer Fred again.. at The Fonda Theatre.

Tickets for the sideshows go on sale here this Friday, February 18th at Noon PT with the rest of them available on Friday, February 25th at Noon PT or Friday, March 4th at Noon PT.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: 100 gecs, Altın Gün, Amber Mark, Arooj Aftab, BADBADNOTGOOD, beabadoobee, Beach Bunny, Chelsea Cutler, Chicano Batman, Coachella, Coachella 2022, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2022, Coachella sideshows, Code Orange, Crumb, Damian Lazarus, Denzel Curry, Dixon, Ed Maverick, El Rey, El Rey Theatre, ela minus, Epik High, Fox Theater Pomona, Fred again.., Freddie Gibbs, Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, girl in red, Holly Humberstone, Honey Dijon, Hot Chip, Inner Wave, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Koffee, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, L'Impératrice, MadGibbs, Madlib, Mariah the Scientist, Masego, Måneskin, MEUTE, Michael Bibi, MIKA, Molchat Doma, Nathy Peluso, Nilüfer Yanya, Omar Apollo, Pabllo Vittar, Pappy & Harriet's, Pup, Purple Disco Machine, Rina Sawayama, Role Model, Skegss, Sound Nightclub, Spiritualized, Still Woozy, The Fonda Theatre, The Fox Theater Pomona, The Glass House, The Marías, The Mayan, The Novo, The Novo DTLA, The Regrettes, The Roxy Theatre, Viagra Boys, Wallows, Yard Act, Zebulon

Goldenvoice unveils 2019 Coachella sideshows

February 14, 2019 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Valentine’s Day is back, and even if you don’t have someone special to celebrate the occasion with this year, Goldenvoice is still giving you a reason to love live music in 2019.

As the 20th anniversary of Coachella approaches in less than two months, the famed concert promoter has once again revealed its latest list of April sideshows that will take place across the greater Los Angeles landscape, including some in Orange County, Santa Barbara County and the desert. There are even a few new venues — both big and small — that are hosting for the first time: Zebulon in the gentrifying LA neighborhood commonly known as “Frogtown,” La Santa Modern Cantina (or “La Santa” as locals call it) as well as the Yost Theater in Santa Ana, Chain Reaction in Anaheim and The Forum in Inglewood.

California punk rockers The Frights kick off the festivities with their headlining performance at The Glass House in Pomona on Saturday, April 6th before the action really ramps up just a few days later. That’s when the following acts will take the stage either inside or just outside of LA County:

Mac DeMarco, Tame Impala, Clairo, Blood Orange, Dennis Lloyd, Pusha T, Iceage & Shame, Yellow Days, Hop Along & Soccer Mommy (with Las Robertas), Smino, FKJ (with Ross From Friends), Jaden Smith (with SG Lewis), SALES, Mr Eazi, Charlotte Gainsbourg (with Steady Holiday), Playboi Carti, Bob Moses, Ross From Friends (billed, in this case, as the headliner), Ella Mai, The Messthetics, The Garden, BLACKPINK, HYUKOH, Turnover (with Turnstile), PARCELS (with Cola Boyy), KAYTRANADA, CHVRCHES, Mon Laferte, Khruangbin (with The Marías & Steady Holiday), Superorganism and Perfume. See the full list of sideshows in the poster above.

Much like last year’s sideshows, there won’t be a special showcase at the Palm Springs Air Museum the night before Coachella’s first weekend as there was back in 2017. Nonetheless, there are still two TBA gigs scheduled for April 10th and 17th at The Roxy that we’ll have to await further word on.

Since 2012, Goldenvoice has made a point of capitalizing off its signature event by putting on more shows in and around Coachella — though the volume has started to drop more recently, with the number of sideshows this year down to 34 in comparison to 53 in 2018 and 62 in 2017. With 19 less in 2019, we can only surmise that Goldenvoice is still trying to find a “sweet spot” when it comes to the amount it organizes and promotes in support of the world-famous three-day, two-weekend music festival.

That said, Paul Tollett and company have still managed to give Southern California an eclectic roster that offers a little bit of everything, from lo-fi and indie rock to hip-hop and even K-pop. In fact, at first glance, here are the 2019 sideshows that stick out the most to us: Mac DeMarco at The Echo, Tame Impala at the Fox Theater Pomona, Blood Orange at The Roxy, Pusha T at The Novo, Hop Along & Soccer Mommy (with Las Robertas) at the El Rey Theatre, Bob Moses at The Glass House, PARCELS (with Cola Boyy) at The Fonda Theatre, Khruangbin (with The Marías and Steady Holiday) at Pappy & Harriet’s and Superorganism at The Roxy, which will have a show practically every night during the eight-day run.

Tickets for most of the sideshows go on sale here this Friday, February 15th at Noon PT with the rest of them available on Friday, February 22nd at Noon PT or Friday, March 1st at Noon PT.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: BLACKPINK, Blood Orange, Bob Moses, Chain Reaction, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Chvrches, Clairo, Coachella, Coachella 2019, Coachella 2019 sideshows, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2019, Coachella sideshows, Cola Boyy, Dennis Lloyd, El Rey Theatre, Ella Mai, FKJ, Fox Theater Pomona, Hop Along, HYUKOH, Iceage, Jaden Smith, Kaytranada, Khruangbin, La Santa, La Santa Modern Cantina, Las Robertas, Mac Demarco, Mon Laferte, Mr Eazi, Pappy & Harriet's, Parcels, Perfume, Playboi Carti, Pusha T, Ross From Friends, SALES, SG Lewis, Shame, Shrine Expo Hall, Smino, Soccer Mommy, Steady Holiday, Superorganism, Tame Impala, The Echo, The Fonda Theatre, The Forum, The Garden, The Glass House, The Marías, The Messthetics, The Roxy Theatre, The Theatre at Ace Hotel, The Yost Theater, Turnover, Turnstile, Yellow Days, Yost Theater, Zebulon

Goldenvoice announces 2018 Coachella sideshows

February 14, 2018 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

It’s Valentine’s Day, so what could be a better way to celebrate love — or least your love for live music — than with a whole slew of newly announced shows?

Well, with Coachella’s 19th edition just a couple of months away, Goldenvoice has done it again, assembling another massive list of April sideshows at various venues all across the greater Los Angeles landscape, including some in Orange County (at The Observatory and Constellation Room), Santa Barbara County (at the Santa Barbara Bowl and The Arlington Theatre) and the desert (at Pappy & Harriet’s).

Sister trio HAIM kick off the festivities with their headlining performance at arguably our favorite Southern California venue, the Santa Barbara Bowl, on Saturday, April 7th before things ramp up the ensuing week with Kali Uchis, Chromeo, Tyler, the Creator, St. Vincent, Portugal. The Man (with Cherry Glazerr), Perfume Genius (with Big Thief), Princess Nokia, PVRIS, Marian Hill, Fleet Foxes, Carpenter Brut, Tash Sultana, The Drums & Alvvays (with Fazerdaze), alt-J (with BØRNS), Migos, The Bronx, Greta Van Fleet, A Perfect Circle, Yaeji, Angel Olsen, Jessie Ware, BROCKHAMPTON, First Aid Kit, Japanese Breakfast (with Snail Mail), Kelela, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Buscabulla (with The Marías), Priests, MØ, Jorja Smith & Tom Misch, ODESZA, Miguel, Boogarins (with B Boys & Señor Kino), Ron Gallo, Moon Boots (Live), The War on Drugs, Jungle, Soulwax, Petit Biscuit, 6lack, Aurora, Motor City Drum Ensemble (with Talaboman), Los Ángeles Azules, The Drums, Hayley Kiyoko and Elohim all playing — some even more than once — inside and/or outside of LA’s city limits.

Unlike last year’s sideshows, which included a special showcase at the Palm Springs Air Museum the night before Coachella’s first weekend featuring several artists from British independent record label Young Turks, Goldenvoice has opted not to go down that route again. The two gigs that mirror that mini festival the closest both take place on Thursday, April 19th, as Motor City Drum Ensemble performs at the Palm Springs Air Museum with Talaboman and Los Ángeles Azules invades the Riverside County Fairgrounds with Cuco, Helado Negro and Ocho Ojos just one day before Coachella Weekend 2 commences at the Empire Polo Club. Check out the full list of sideshows in the poster above.

Year after year, Goldenvoice seemingly continues to outdo itself with more and more shows in and around Coachella, and this April the renowned concert promoter has done its best to give music fans in Southern California a little bit of everything, from electro funk and indie folk to hip-hop and alternative R&B. But at first glance, the 2018 sideshows that stick out the most to us include the following: Chromeo at the El Rey Theatre, St. Vincent at The Orpheum Theatre, Perfume Genius (with Big Thief) at The Mayan, Fleet Foxes at the Warner Grand Theater, Tash Sultana at the Fox Theater Pomona, The Drums & Alvvays co-headlining (with Fazerdaze) at Pappy & Harriet’s, alt-J (with BØRNS) at the Santa Barbara Bowl, Migos at The Observatory, A Perfect Circle at The Arlington Theatre, Japanese Breakfast (with Snail Mail) at The Roxy, The War on Drugs at the Fox Theater Pomona, Jungle at Pappy & Harriet’s, Soulwax at The Fonda Theatre, 6lack at The Novo and Portugal. The Man (with Chicano Batman and Deap Vally) at the Santa Barbara Bowl.

Tickets for most of the sideshows go on sale here this Friday, February 16th at Noon PT with the rest of them available on Friday, February 23rd at Noon PT or Friday, March 2nd at Noon PT.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: 6lack, A Perfect Circle, Alt-J, Alvvays, Angel Olsen, AURORA, B Boys, BØRNS, Big Thief, Boogarins, Brockhampton, Buscabulla, Carpenter Brut, Cherry Glazerr, Chicano Batman, Chromeo, Coachella, Coachella 2018, Coachella 2018 sideshows, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2018, Coachella sideshows, Constellation Room, Cuco, Deap Vally, El Rey Theatre, Fazerdaze, First Aid Kit, Fleet Foxes, Fox Theater Pomona, Goldenvoice, Greta Van Fleet, Helado Negro, Japanese Breakfast, Jessie Ware, John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, Jorja Smith, Jungle, Kali Uchis, Kelela, Los Angeles Azules, Marian Hill, Migos, Miguel, MO, Moon Boots, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Ocho Ojos, Odesza, Palm Springs Air Museum, Pappy & Harriet's, Perfume Genius, Petit Biscuit, Portugal. The Man, Priests, Princess Nokia, PVRIS, Riverside County Fairgrounds, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Ron Gallo, Santa Barbara Bowl, Shrine Expo Hall, Sigrid, Snail Mail, Soulwax, St. Vincent, Talaboman, Tash Sultana, The Arlington Theatre, The Bronx, the Creator, The Drums, The Echo, The Fonda Theatre, The Glass House, The Marías, The Mayan, The Novo, The Novo DTLA, The Observatory, The Orpheum Theatre, The Regent Theater, The Roxy Theatre, The Theatre at Ace Hotel, The War on Drugs, Tom Misch, Tyler, Warner Grand Theater, Yaeji

Jay 305 backs up his ‘more LA than the Rams’ claim in front of a hometown crowd at The Roxy

September 29, 2017 by Joseph Gray Leave a Comment

By Joseph Gray //

Jay 305 //
The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
September 25th, 2017 //

South Central rapper Jay 305, as confident and animated as ever, proclaims that he is “more LA than the Rams,” and you’d be hard-pressed to find many fans of West Coast hip-hop who disagree with him right now.

Unlike LA’s two new NFL teams that continue to fight –- in half-filled stadiums — to find their footing, Jay 305 (born Jay Cummins) is a regional staple. That was pretty apparent during his headlining show at The Roxy Theatre on Monday, as fans shouted the aforementioned claim heard on his authoritative and fun Taking All Bets debut via Interscope Records.

Running through everything from standout tracks like “All Around the World” and “99” to his “Youzza Flip” hit, which ignited his buzz five years prior, Jay 305 has seemingly pushed legal troubles and album delays aside to focus on his craft — and it showed in his hometown.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Interscope Records, Jay 305, The Roxy Theatre

Goldenvoice reveals 2017 Coachella sideshows

February 13, 2017 by Josh Herwitt 3 Comments

We’re already six weeks into 2017, and for many music fans residing in California, that means Coachella isn’t all that far away. But while much of the talk around this year’s lineup has been centered on Beyoncé’s debut and more recently her pregnant-with-twins news (the jury is still out on whether it will put a wrench in her plans to perform both weekends), Goldenvoice has turned a good portion of April into a long stretch of top-notch shows, similar to what Red Bull Sound Select has done in November with its month-long “30 Days in LA” series that last year included artists like Nick Murphy (formerly Chet Faker), YG, Jhené Aiko, AlunaGeorge, Pusha T and Isaiah Rashad (look back at our coverage here).

Much like in 2016, Goldenvoice has once again released a list of sideshows that will take place at venues in the greater Los Angeles area, with a select few extending into Orange County (at The Observatory and Constellation Room), Santa Barbara County (at the Santa Barbara Bowl) and the desert (at Pappy & Harriet’s).

Florida emcee Denzel Curry will kick off the festivities on Friday, April 7th at The Glass House before LA outfit Chicano Batman close things out at the same venue on Saturday, April 29th. In between those gigs, Sampha, Banks, Jack Garratt, Crystal Castles, Francis and the Lights, Bishop Briggs, SOHN, Oh Wonder, Future Islands, Little Dragon (with Sophie Tukker), The Head and the Heart, Joseph, Kaytranada, Banks & Steelz, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Nicolas Jaar, Car Seat Headrest (with Preoccupations), Bonobo, Mura Masa (with Kamaiyah), DJ Shadow, Breakbot, Blossoms, New Order (with Poliça), Hinds (with Twin Peaks), Bonobo, Galantis, Local Natives (with Tennis), S U R V I V E, The Avalanches, Glass Animals (with Little Dragon and/or Jagwar Ma), Empire of the Sun (with Broods), Tacocat, Bastille, Roisin Murphy, Whitney, Lil Uzi Vert, Mitski, Röyksopp, Future Islands, Pond (with Ezra Furman), Moderat, Swet Shop Boyz, Floating Points (Live), HONNE (with Arkells), Daphini, Jai Wolf, Guided by Voices and Phantogram will all perform — some even more than once — inside and/or outside of LA’s city limits.

Furthermore, British independent record label Young Turks will host a special showcase for its roster of artists with performances by Ben UFO, Four Tet, Francis and the Lights, Jamie xx, Kamaiyah, Sampha and special guest PNL in Palm Springs on Thursday, April 13th. Check out the full list of sideshows in the poster above.

It’s hard to believe that Goldenvoice has found a way to top their efforts from a year ago, but the renowned concert promoter has managed to do just that. This year’s Coachella sideshows are jam-packed with alternative-electronic and indie-rock acts, with Nicolas Jaar’s headlining performance at Pappy & Harriet’s alongside Floating Points (Live) and Pond as well as Future Islands’ date at The Glass House featuring support from Car Seat Headrest as two of the bigger highlights — and no doubt there are plenty on this bill. Yet, one of the most enticing pairings has to be the Glass Animals-Little Dragon-Jagwar Ma one that’s slated to take over the Santa Barbara Bowl, arguably our favorite venue in Southern California, on Saturday, April 23rd.

Tickets for most of the sideshows go on sale here this Friday, February 17th at Noon PT with the rest of them available Friday, February 24th at Noon PT or Friday, March 3rd at Noon PT.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Arkells, BAILEN, Banks & Steelz, Bastille, Ben UFO, Bishop Briggs, Blossoms, Bonobo, Breakbot, Broods, Car Seat Headrest, Coachella, Coachella 2017, Coachella 2017 sideshows, Coachella sideshows, Constellation Room, Crystal Castles, Daphini, Dent May, DJ Shadow, Echoplex, El Rey Theatre, Empire of the Sun, Ezra Furman, Floating Points, Four Tet, Fox Theater Pomona, Francis and the Lights, Future Islands, Galantis, Glass Animals, Goldenvoice, Goldlink, Guided by Voices, Hinds, Honey Dijon, HONNE, Jack Garratt, Jagwar Ma, Jai Wolf, Jamie xx, Joseph, Julie Byrne, Kamaiyah, Kaytranada, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Lil Uzi Vert, Little Dragon, Local Natives, Lot 613, M. Geddes Gengras, Mitski, Moderat, Mura Masa, New Order, Nicolas Jaar, Nylo, Oh Wonder, Palm Springs Air Museum, Pappy & Harriet's, Phantogram, PNL, Poliça, Pond, Preoccupations, Roisin Murphy, S U R V I V E, Sam Gellaitry, Sampha, Santa Barbara Bowl, SHAED, Shrine Expo Hall, SOHN, Sophie Tukker, Springtime Carnivore, SSLEEPERHOLD, Steady Holiday, Swet Shop Boyz, Tacocat, Tennis, The Avalanches, The Echo, The Fonda Theatre, The Glass House, The Head and The Heart, The Mayan, The Novo DTLA, The Observatory, The Regent Theater, The Roxy Theatre, The Theatre at Ace Hotel, Twin Peaks, Whitney, William Doyle, Young Turks

Emancipator liberates minds at The Roxy Theatre

January 19, 2017 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Emancipator //
The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
January 14th, 2017 //

In a matter of 10 years, Douglas Appling has gone from college student to electronic music producer to record label owner and founder. He has managed to release four studio albums and travel the world in that time, doing it all under his liberating stage name Emancipator. And at the young age of 25, he created Loci Records, which is now home to a cast of up-and-coming artists making music in the vein of melodic downtempo and instrumental hip-hop.

Last Saturday, four of the label’s 10 signees entertained a sold-out crowd in LA on the final night of its U.S. showcase tour. Serving as support at The Roxy Theatre were Tor, Edamame and Lapa, who each set the mood for Emancipator’s headlining set to follow — and what a doozy it was. As Emancipator, Appling has a unique way of melding hip-hop beats with the orchestral sound coming from his sidekick Ilya Goldberg’s violin. He even threw in a Snoop Dogg sample at one point, spreading energy across the venue’s tightly packed dance floor. This wasn’t the Emancipator Ensemble experience that we’ve witnessed before, but it was clear that Appling’s performances have continued to get better with each and every year.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Emancipator, Loci Records, Loci Records Showcase Tour, The Roxy Theatre

Banks & Steelz played their first-ever show last night and we were there to see the duo in action

July 22, 2016 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Paul Banks

By Josh Herwitt //

Banks & Steelz with T.O.L.D. //
The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
July 21st, 2016 //

For the last three years, Interpol frontman Paul Banks and Wu-Tang Clan legend RZA have been working on a collaborative project that, for the most part, has flew relatively under the radar. But just a couple months ago, the duo made things official when they finally unveiled the name of said project as Banks & Steelz.

The next day, the singer/guitarist and rapper released their first Banks & Steelz track “Love + War” featuring fellow Wu-Tang member Ghostface Killah. Three weeks later, Banks & Steelz had more important news to share, announcing that their debut album Anything But Words will drop on August 26th with guest appearances from Florence and the Machine’s Florence Welch, Wu-Tang Clan’s Method Man and Masta Killa, and Kool Keith.

RZA

The two musicians, though, had yet to play a show together — that is until last night at The Roxy Theatre in LA. Kicking off a 15-date tour that includes stops at The Independent in San Francisco, FYF Fest and Life Is Beautiful, not to mention two weekends at Austin City Limits, Banks & Steelz performed songs from their forthcoming LP for the first time ever, showcasing the Rage Against the Machine-inspired cut “Speedway Sonora” along with lead single “Giant” that opens the 12-track record. Singing in his usual baritone style, Banks worked the strings on his Fender Stratocaster while RZA handled rapping and keyboard duties. And at one point during their 50-minute set, they even brought out LA-based singer-songwriter Morgan Kibby, who performs under the name White Sea and has collaborated and toured with M83, to help contribute vocals.

While rap rock may feel like a thing of the past now, Banks & Steelz feature a unique pairing of musicians from very different backgrounds. Banks, for one, has remained Interpol’s lead singer for close to two decades as the New York band continues to rank high on the charts. And RZA, who served as Wu-Tang’s de facto leader, has managed to find success outside of music, whether it’s writing and directing movies or just acting in them. But between Banks’ longstanding love of hip-hop and RZA’s newfound interest in rock music, they’ve figured out a formula that could work in a studio and on a stage, even one as small as The Roxy’s.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Banks & Steelz, Interpol, Morgan Kibby, Paul Banks, RZA, T.O.L.D., The Roxy Theatre, White Sea, Wu Tang Clan

Riding J. Cole’s coattails, Bas doesn’t shy away from the spotlight at a sold-out Roxy Theatre

June 22, 2016 by Joseph Gray Leave a Comment

By Joseph Gray //

Bas with Cozz //
The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
June 15th, 2016 //

The expectations for a hip-hop protégé have always been unfair and lofty. Fans often hope the pupil has soaked up just enough of the mentor’s know-how and creativity while also craving different risks and a new wrinkle to the story that has captivated their attention. Nevertheless, the game is not based on sympathy. And lucky for Bas, the Queens, N.Y.-raised rapper signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville Records imprint, reveling in self-awareness with rangy detail appears to be his greatest attribute.

For every apprentice that becomes Snoop Dogg under Dr. Dre’s wings, there are countless contemporaries that go the way of Jay Z’s Memphis Bleek. The second-in-charge star vs. the promising and hungry upstart who never quite materializes commercially. Where Bas (born Abbas Hamad) eventually lands aside North Carolina’s prodigal son still remains to be seen. However, after carrying his mindful thoughts in a workmanlike fashion into a sold-out Roxy Theatre last Wednesday in LA, it’s clear that the 29-year-old emcee has no plans of letting his inebriation with success — and its subsequent effects — stagger his straight-lined momentum.

There’s unrelenting, surface-level music that you listen to in a hyped-up state while you’re on your way to the club, and then there’s music you listen to while you reflect on the ride home. Sonically, Bas, similar to J. Cole, is mostly backed by hypnotic, darker sounds peppered with bits of warmth and place his projects in line with his mentor. Be that as it may, his youthful admirers won’t let you believe there are many lulls in his journey.

From “Too High to Riot”, the pensive title track on the follow-up to his 2014 debut Last Winter, to the breezy “Clouds Never Get Old”, Bas’ ever-loyal “villains” showered their appreciation onto him for his personable showmanship — so much so that he was able to reverse the roles and play the fan during “Night Job” with the crowd reciting the verses verbatim as he let the microphone rest at his side.

Sporting a beard as burly as his physique and the portions of his subject matter, Bas is an adversely light-footed performer with lots of jumping, smiling and promises that his fans’ newly purchased vinyl would be signed before they left for the night. All of that, of course, was sandwiched between his unique storytelling.

Every good story deserves a few surprises, though, and Bas was more than happy to keep up with tradition as some of his running mates and friends were also at the diminutive venue. London electronic quartet The Hics provided some soulful pleasantry to Bas’ inner battles. Additionally, the Dreamville crew’s veteran, Omen, delighted the audience with “48 Laws”, his standout track from the label’s 2015 compilation Revenge of the Dreamers II before Cozz, the South Central rapper also signed to Dreamville who performed his own opening set at The Roxy, re-appeared alongside Bas to continue building on his raw, growing confidence with his notable verse on the spirited “Tabs”.

Where the demands of being next up naturally weigh the most, Bas seemingly welcomed the opportunity to improve and chase history in front of the disbelievers and fellow dreamers. His “Too High to Riot Tour” stands as a chance for him to move the scope beyond just “making it” and inward toward everything, from life’s ills to racial injustice and an overall celebration of life through his eyes. If the chants for an encore during the LA stop on his nationwide tour were any indication, he’ll have some devoted fans supporting him as he continues to grow.

Bas

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Bas, Cozz, J. Cole, Omen, The Hics, The Roxy Theatre

Skipping FYF Fest? You can still see all these shows

July 8, 2015 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

FYF Fest returns to the LA Sports Arena and Exposition Park this August for its 12th edition with an amalgam of trending indie in tow. It’s also one of our eight music festivals taking place in California that you won’t want to miss before the end of 2015.

But if you’re not keen on catching headliners Frank Ocean and Morrissey yet still want to see sub headliners like Bloc Party or The Jesus and Mary Chain without shelling out $175 for a two-day GA pass (single-day passes have already sold out, by the way), well then, you’re in a bit of luck.

FYF and Goldenvoice have announced a series of sideshows around the festival’s August 22nd-23rd dates, which include performances by Toronto experimental hip-hop/post-bop trio BADBADNOTGOOD, Northeastern legendary alt-rockers Dinosaur Jr. and even NorCal industrial hip-hop group Death Grips, who, if you can remember, broke up not all that long ago, reneging on an opportunity to tour with 90’s rock heavyweights Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden last summer.

The sideshows start later this month, with LA’s own HEALTH kicking things off at The Echo before London-based post-punk revival band Savages finish the run off with a headlining gig at The Roxy on August 26th. It’s worth noting, however, that none of the sideshows will take place over the weekend of FYF, much like what Goldenvoice does in April by booking high-profile shows in and around Coachella’s two weekends.

Tickets for the sideshows go on sale at FYFpresents.com this Friday, July 10th at 10 a.m.

Here is the schedule for the festival’s upcoming sideshows with links to purchase tickets:

July 24th: HEALTH at The Echo // BUY TICKETS

August 19th: The Jesus and Mary Chain with A Place to Bury Strangers at The Fonda Theatre // BUY TICKETS

August 19th: Bloc Party at Glasshouse // BUY TICKETS

August 20th: The Jesus and Mary Chain with A Place to Bury Strangers at The Fonda Theatre // BUY TICKETS

August 20th: Bloc Party at The Roxy Theatre // BUY TICKETS

August 20th: METZ at The Echo // BUY TICKETS

August 21st: BadBadNotGood with Show Me the Body at The Regent Theater // BUY TICKETS

August 21st: NAILS at Echoplex // BUY TICKETS

August 21st: The Drums with Froth at Glasshouse // BUY TICKETS

August 21st: Lower Dens with Empress Of at The Echo // BUY TICKETS

August 21st: Dinosaur Jr. at The Roxy Theatre // BUY TICKETS

August 25th: Death Grips at Glasshouse // BUY TICKETS

August 26th: Savages at The Roxy Theatre // BUY TICKETS

August 26th: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard at The Echo // BUY TICKETS

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: A Place to Bury Strangers, Alvvays, Andrew Jackson Jihad, BADBADNOTGOOD, Battles, Belle & Sebastian, Bloc Party, Bonobo, Broncho, Chet Faker, CHK CHK CHK, Coachella, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Cold Cave, D'Angelo and the Vanguard, Death Grips, Deerhunter, Dinosaur Jr., Dixon, DJ Dodger Stadium, DJ Harvey, Echoplex, Empress Of, Evian Christ, Exposition Park, FKA twigs, Flume, Flying Lotus, Frank Ocean, Froth, FYF Fest, FYF Fest 2015, Girlpool, Glasshouse, Goldenvoice, Goldroom, HEALTH, Hop Along, Horse Meat Disco, Jon Hopkins, Joyce Manor, Junk, Kaytranada, Kevin Morby, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, La Femme, LA Sports Arena, LA Sports Arena & Exposition Park, Laura Marling, Leon Vynehall, Lower Dens, Mac Demarco, Melody's Echo Chamber, METZ, Mikal Cronin, Morrisey, Morrissey, NAILS, Neon Indian, Nicolas Jaar, Purity Ring, Run The Jewels, Savages, Shlohmo, Show Me the Body, Simian Mobile Disco, Solange, Spiritualized, Tennis, The Drums, The Echo, The Fonda Theatre, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Regent Theater, The Roxy Theatre, Thee Oh Sees, Title Fight, Tobias Jesso Jr., Toro Y Moi, Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Miami Horror trip out in SF, continue the party in LA

June 10, 2015 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Photos by Josh Herwitt & Justin Yee // Written by Josh Herwitt //

Miami Horror with De Lux //
The Independent – San Francisco & The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
June 3rd, 2015 (SF) & June 5th, 2015 (LA) //

With the release of their sophomore record All Possible Futures this past April, Australian indietronica outfit Miami Horror are back on the road for the first time in a long time. Amid a 17-date tour across the U.S. with LA disco-rock band De Lux, which also have a brand-new album on the horizon, the Melbourne five-piece left its mark in SF and LA last week with sold-out shows at both The Independent and The Roxy Theatre.

The capacity crowds were a testament to how well Miami Horror have built a loyal fan base off the buzz that their 2010 debut Illumination generated, but as bandleader Benjamin Plant told Showbams in a recent interview, this was still their “reintroduction tour.”

Yet, from the way it commanded the crowd in SF, you wouldn’t have known that the band had eaten psychedelic mushrooms (yes, really!) before stepping on stage. And from the way it had fans singing along to every word in LA — its new home after leaving Melbourne close to three years ago — two days later, you wouldn’t have thought that it has been almost five years between the band’s two LPs. After all, in this day and age where streaming services have come to rule the music industry and artists are now forced to continually churn out new material in order to tour and make ends meet, that’s quite a long layoff for a group that’s only other release, the five-track EP entitled Bravado, came out in November 2008.

In many ways though, it felt like not much time had passed at all as Josh Moriarty (guitars, vocals) and Aaron Shanahan (co-production, guitar, synthesizer, vocals), with the sweat beads rapidly dripping down their faces, climbed on Kosta Theodosis’ drum kit and a few floor speakers at different points during both shows to pump the fans up — if they could actually be pumped up anymore than they already were. It just goes to show that after all this time, Miami Horror haven’t lost their charm one bit.

Molly Kish & Justin Yee contributed to this report.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: De Lux, Miami Horror, The Independent, The Roxy Theatre

Miami Horror cover all bases on ‘All Possible Futures’ before their sold-out show in LA

June 4, 2015 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Photo by Dylan Reyes // Written by Josh Herwitt //

Growing up, Benjamin Plant had always seen Melbourne as his home. As a native of the Australian city, he immersed himself in its music scene at a young age, DJing at house parties and clubs around town.

But a lot changed for the Miami Horror founder and bandleader when he moved to Los Angeles nearly three years ago — and for the better.

“I think life is a lot groovier and easier,” he says about his LA lifestyle now. “People are just a lot nicer and happier, so it allows you to find your own space when you’re away from your scene.”

Plant wasn’t the only one in the band who chose to leave the dreary streets of Melbourne for the sunny beaches of Southern California. At this point, all but one member in Miami Horror lives in LA, where the majority of the quintet’s second full-length album All Possible Futures was recorded and where they’ll play to a sold-out crowd when they take the stage at The Roxy Theatre this Friday night (June 5th).

“This is our reintroduction tour,” Plant says about the 17-date run that ends in Chicago on June 30th and includes an appearance at Electric Forest. “It’s our opportunity to show what we’ve got and what we’ve become. We’re a lot more mature now.”

It’s been quite a bit of time — almost five years, in fact — since the indietronica outfit released its debut Illumination on British multinational label EMI, and things were much different back then.

Plant, for one, wrote most of the songs that appeared on the 12-track LP that came out in 2010, including “Sometimes”, the first single off Illumination that put Miami Horror on the map with frequent radio play and numerous remixes around the club circuit.

The songwriting process for All Possible Futures, on the other hand, was revamped. This time around, the entire band was involved rather than only Plant coming forward with song ideas. What results is a record that boasts plenty of futuristic pop and uniquely combines elements of both house and funk in a more traditional rock band setting.

“We wanted to make sure we made an album that covered all bases,” Plant says. “You have to keep fans, impress old fans, make new fans and be happy with yourself. There are so many things going on that you have to cover everything.”

It had Miami Horror — made up of Plant (production, synthesizers, bass), Josh Moriarty (guitars, vocals), Aaron Shanahan (co-production, guitar, synthesizer, vocals), Daniel Whitechurch (piano, synthesizer) and Kosta Theodosis (drums) — shedding their producer-centric approach to study bands like Talking Heads, as they aimed for the stars during the recording sessions in LA and Melbourne.

“We were definitely more inclined to writing a flashy kind of hit,” Plant admits. “We were almost imagining and hoping we could do that. For quite a while, every song we made was directed as a single.”

Coincidentally enough, two of the first three tracks on All Possible Futures were tabbed as singles, with “Real Slow” and “Love Like Mine” setting the stage for other dance-pop hits “Wild Motion (Set It Free)” and “Colours in the Sky” later on. That said, with 15 tracks and over an hour in run time, the finished product remains more comprehensive than one that simply will be remembered only for its singles.

“We wanted an album that you could listen to for five years rather than two months,” Plant says. “We focused a lot more on songwriting, like learning about chord progressions, changes and structures of songs. We just really wanted to push ourselves there.”

Looking toward the future, after all, is something that has always preoccupied Plant, to the point that it largely became the inspiration behind the band’s new studio effort.

“I’m constantly thinking about the future, every different direction you can go and every way your life can turn out,” he says in discussing the meaning of All Possible Futures. “There are always a million directions to go, and you have to choose what the right one is.”

So far for Plant, that direction has been east — Melbourne to LA while never looking back.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Interviews, Live Music Previews Tagged With: Miami Horror, The Roxy Theatre

Quantic branches out with diverse set at The Roxy

March 27, 2015 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Quantic with DJ Vadim //
The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
March 25th, 2015 //

For well over a decade, Will Holland has been the brains behind Quantic, one of his many projects as a musician, DJ and record producer. This past fall, we caught Holland and his Quantic sidekicks performing inside a tiny church in Echo Park for Culture Collide Festival (read our review here). At the time, Holland said the show would be Quantic’s last one for a while after touring the world in support of 2014’s Magnetica. But less than six months later, the UK native was back in LA on Wednesday night for a KCRW-sponsored event, hitting the decks and showcasing a variety of Latin genres — everything from cumbia to salsa to bossa nova — while mixing in a handful of reggae and hip-hop grooves. DJ Vadim kicked things off with his own set of turntables and was joined on stage by a couple of guest vocalists.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: DJ Vadim, Quantic, The Roxy Theatre

Chet Faker plays to sold-out Roxy in LA

June 3, 2014 by Josh Herwitt 5 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

Chet Faker with Sweater Beats //
The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
May 29th, 2014 //

It’s amazing how quickly things can change for aspiring artists in today’s music industry.

Just ask Chet Faker.

It was only a little more than three years ago that the relatively unknown singer, songwriter and producer from Melbourne, Australia, struck Internet gold with his cover of Blackstreet’s “No Diggity,” propelling him to No. 1 on the Hype Machine charts in a matter of days.

Fast forward to now, and the word has officially gotten out about 24-year-old Nicholas James Murphy, who continues to pack venues across the U.S. following the release of his debut LP Built on Glass (read our review here) in April.

But what is it about Chet Faker that has made him such a must-see act all of a sudden?

To be honest, I’m not quite sure. Because for all the hype Murphy has garnered over the past few months, something felt missing when he took the stage at The Roxy Theatre last week.

Headlining the second of two sold-out nights in LA, Murphy warmed us up with older cuts like “I’m Into You” and “Terms and Conditions” from his 2012 EP Thinking in Textures before eventually digging into Built on Glass. And although it was refreshing to see him create new adaptations of “Blush” and “1998,” the energy never seemed to reach a threshold inside the diminutive Sunset Strip club.

With an arsenal of production equipment sprawled across the table and his Rhodes piano off to his right, Murphy attempted to recreate many of the melodies that won me over less than two months ago when I first sat down to listen to Built on Glass.

Yet, it was not long before I realized that Murphy’s music, as refreshing and soulful as it is, may not be best suited for a live setting after all. There are some artists whose studio work far surpasses their live shows, and while that’s not to say that the disparity for Murphy is totally transparent, it’s certainly noticeable.

For someone whose music is as refreshing as Murphy’s, it’s still hard to enjoy watching a musician turn knobs and press buttons, regardless of his true talents. That’s not to take anything away from Murphy’s vocal capabilities, but it felt slightly ironic for him to candidly share some of his thoughts on the current state of the music industry.

“Lots of people are spending lots of money to see some dude press play and jump around on stage,” he told the crowd midway through his 75-minute set, bridging the gap from one song to the next.

That obviously wasn’t the case at The Roxy, but at the same time, Murphy didn’t appear to be putting on a clinic in musicianship, either. Instead, he would go on to perform “No Diggity” all by himself, dashing my hopes for the guitarist and drummer he had brought on tour to join him for the Grammy-winning tune.

Still, Murphy couldn’t get past the song’s first verse before stopping to tell his fans to put away their camera phones.

“I give you permission to look around you, and if someone next to you has a phone out, to knock it out of their hands,” he said, even if no one actually followed his advice.

It was a strange request from a man whose fans have become so gaga over him lately that one of them even screamed, “I want to lick your beard!”

Thankfully for some of us, there would be no beard licking on this night.

Rather, we were treated to an alternate version of “Drop the Game,” a track Murphy worked on with fellow countryman Flume for their Lockjaw project last year.

But there were also standout tracks from Built on Glass — “Gold” and “Melt” are two that immediately come to mind — that we never got to hear. Murphy at least saved one of his best for last, stripping down his hit single “Talk Is Cheap” to just piano and vocals during his one-song encore.

It was a somewhat anticlimactic ending to a performance that proved just how hard it can be to make it as a solo act — and even more, keep the flame burning bright.

For Chet Faker though, that could be easier said than done.

VIEW PHOTOS FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO SHOW.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Chet Faker, Sweater Beats, The Roxy Theatre

Holy Fuck showcase new material at The Roxy

May 28, 2014 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Holy Fuck //
The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
May 22nd, 2014 //

Canadian electronic outfit Holy Fuck played their first LA show in quite a while, headlining the latest installment of Red Bull’s Sound Select series. Despite its most recent studio album Latin coming out more than four years ago, the Toronto quartet unleashed a handful of new songs during its hour-long set at The Roxy Theatre. Josh Herwitt dropped by the renowned Sunset Strip venue last week to take it all in.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Holy Fuck, Red Bull Sound Select, The Roxy Theatre

Atmosphere celebrate album release in LA

May 15, 2014 by Josh Herwitt 4 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

Atmosphere //
The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
May 8th, 2014 //

Hip-hop took over The Roxy Theatre last week with the return of Atmosphere, hot off the release of its brand-new album Southsiders less than 48 hours old.

The alternative hip-hop group’s seventh studio record, which follows 2011 success The Family Sign, debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart with 23,159 copies sold in the U.S. during its first week.

Not bad for a hip-hop act that has never won an award in its 25-year run.

It’s hard to believe sometimes that rapper Sean Daley (aka Slug) and DJ/producer Anthony Davis (aka Ant) have been making music together for almost that long, but it may be even harder to believe that Slug has been writing music for Atmosphere since the age of 16.

In that period of time, the Minneapolis native has also founded independent record label Rhymesayers Entertainment with Davis, Musab Saad and Brent Sayers, as well as the Rhymesayers imprint Women Records with Nick Carter (aka Murs). He’s even collaborated with a host of other MCs for side projects like Furs (with Murs), The Dynospectrum, Deep Puddle Dynamics and The Orphanage.

Yet, this night belonged to Atmosphere and the arrival of Southsiders, which took Slug and Ant more than three years to make. The 16-track LP (not including four bonus songs) boasts singles “Kanye West” and “Bitter,” and they made sure to perform the former early on at the diminutive Sunset Strip club. The room, subsequently, went apeshit when they did, losing itself in Ant’s catchy beat and hanging onto every word that came out of Slug’s mouth, particularly the track’s “put your hands in the air like you really do care” hook. It was all part of a 90-minute set that included other classics like “GodLovesUgly” from 2002’s God Loves Ugly and “Trying to Find a Balance” from 2003’s Sevens Travels — not to mention “Sunshine” from Sad Clown Bad Summer 9 (2007) and “Yesterday” from When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold (2008).

From the sold-out crowd’s roar after every song ended, you would have thought we were in Minnesota. But after more than two decades on the scene, it was clear that Atmosphere’s following in LA is as strong as ever. It’s why the group already has plans to return in a few months for two back-to-back shows (Sept. 5-6) at the Hollywood Palladium. For Slug and Ant, it will be a busy summer of touring throughout North America, with festival stops at Summerfest in Milwaukee, Squamish in British Columbia and Outside Lands in San Francisco on the docket. And with so much material in their catalog, it’s not hard for them to keep audiences entertained.

What’s different about Atmosphere from other contemporary hip-hop acts, though, is its message and tone. The music that the group creates nowadays feels like — for lack of a better term —happy hip-hop, even if it requires Slug to repeatedly ask his fans to smile in between songs.

After all, Daley’s life seems to be all about the pursuit of happiness these days, and while it hasn’t always been easy for things to remain that way, he’s managed to keep his message primarily positive as he enters middle age.

Because from the number of smiles he flashed at The Roxy, you can tell that he’s pretty happy himself.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Atmosphere, Southsiders, The Roxy Theatre

Goldenvoice shares 2023 Coachella sideshows

Goldenvoice brings back Coachella sideshows for 2022

Goldenvoice unveils 2019 Coachella sideshows

Goldenvoice announces 2018 Coachella sideshows

Jay 305 backs up his ‘more LA than the Rams’ claim in front of a hometown crowd at The Roxy

Goldenvoice reveals 2017 Coachella sideshows

Emancipator liberates minds at The Roxy Theatre

Banks & Steelz played their first-ever show last night and we were there to see the duo in action

Riding J. Cole’s coattails, Bas doesn’t shy away from the spotlight at a sold-out Roxy Theatre

Skipping FYF Fest? You can still see all these shows

Miami Horror trip out in SF, continue the party in LA

Miami Horror cover all bases on ‘All Possible Futures’ before their sold-out show in LA

Quantic branches out with diverse set at The Roxy

Chet Faker plays to sold-out Roxy in LA

Holy Fuck showcase new material at The Roxy

Atmosphere celebrate album release in LA

SHOW REVIEWS

It’s great to see Mike Patton back onstage & performing once again as Mr. Bungle rile up a sold-out crowd at Hollywood Palladium

FOALS deliver another ‘sweaty good time’ at Hollywood Palladium while traversing the globe on their ‘Life Is Yours Tour’

PHOTOS

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

Moderat are back to mesmerizing their fans again following an extended hiatus as they demonstrate at The Wiltern

FESTIVALS

Portola Music Festival returns to SF’s Pier 80 for second edition while tapping Eric Prydz & Skrillex as headliners in 2023

Wow! Coachella unearths 2023 set times & drops another surprise as blink-182 unexpectedly gets ready to rock the Empire Polo Club

Ohana Festival rolls into 2023 with The Killers, HAIM, Eddie Vedder, The Chicks, Foo Fighters & Pretenders lined up for seventh year

Goldenvoice announces inaugural Power Trip festival in 2023 led by Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica & Tool

HARD Summer Music Festival changes locations, moves back to two days in 2023 with Kaskade B2B John Summit, Skrillex B2B Four Tet

THE LATEST

BAMMING

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