You know what four day weekends mean: one concert a day (or more, given that there's FYF in LA and Pacific Festival at Triangle Square going on this weekend). After the jump, find out what you need to see in between barbecues and pool parties.
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FRIDAY, Sept. 3
Cold Cave playing at the Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa, Runner Runner at HOB Anaheim and more. and there's not a thing wrong with that. After all, we're pretty much suckers for random members of art/hardcore bands getting together and creating moody synth-based music and perfecting posing and cheekbone shadows. (Have we mentioned our Bauhaus fandom lately?) This all said, Abe Vigoda is opening that evening and that¹s even more of a reason to stop by, seeing as they've continually worked on their own transformation from noisenik to ³how much can we sound like old school 4AD releases² over time.
SATURDAY, Sept. 4
Saturday can be summed up in one word used twice: Runner Runner. Featured in the music section this week, the five-piece, Huntington Beach band have been using their summer to gear up for the formal release of their album, tour like crazy and otherwise do what needs doing to take over the world–or at least the section of it that responds best to loud guitars played by stylish fellows in sneakers. They'll be at the House of Blues in Anaheim on the bill with Secondhand Serenade and the White Tie Affair, hoping you all know the words to “So Obvious” by heart.
Saturday also means that the Spazmatics are up in arms (or using their arms to play their instruments, if you prefer) over at the Shore Ultra Lounge in Long Beach. That means the '80s cover band revival continues uninterrupted, with the appropriately featured fashion senses often reflecting colors not exactly found in nature. A possible option for stumping the band (or the audience) would be calling out for “Anyway You Want It” by Journey a lot, insisting loudly that¹s actually better than “Don't Stop Believin” and then disappearing before the arguments get too passionate.
SUNDAY, Sept. 4
Sunday brings the mighty Cunt Sparrer to Que Sera in Long Beach. Part of band members' Jennie Cotterill and Sara Lyons's “Wild West Birthday Shootout Showdown,” it's surely reason enough to attend on its own. The partnership of the two, helped by drummer Evan Sinclair, are our Locals Only subjects this week and deservedly so. Their basic hook is a re-interpretation of ramalama UK punk shouters Cock Sparrer¹s back catalog. The result? A hilarious and entertaining performance, more so for being so deceptively low key. Besides, who can resist the band¹s own description of themselves as “flea market girl punk”?
Sunday brings the mighty Cunt Sparrer to Que Sera in Long Beach. Part of band members' Jennie Cotterill and Sara Lyons's “Wild West Birthday Shootout Showdown,” it's surely reason enough to attend on its own. The partnership of the two, helped by drummer Evan Sinclair, are our Locals Only subjects this week and deservedly so. Their basic hook is a re-interpretation of ramalama UK punk shouters Cock Sparrer¹s back catalog. The result? A hilarious and entertaining performance, more so for being so deceptively low key. Besides, who can resist the band¹s own description of themselves as “flea market girl punk”?
MONDAY, Sept. 5
Monday means the start of a new weekly monthlong stand at the Detroit Bar. This time around it's Nations Afire, somewhere between a side project and a supergroup of sorts when it comes to SoCal punk and its continuing history, with one EP under their belt and a full length album forthcoming. With two members of Ignite, Death by Stereo's former drummer and a veteran from Rise Against on guitar, one can pretty easily guess things sound loud, hook-laden and a little peeved at the world¹s injustices. Then again, they're called Nations Afire, not Happy Bunny Funworld. But perhaps that can be the name they use for secret shows.
Monday means the start of a new weekly monthlong stand at the Detroit Bar. This time around it's Nations Afire, somewhere between a side project and a supergroup of sorts when it comes to SoCal punk and its continuing history, with one EP under their belt and a full length album forthcoming. With two members of Ignite, Death by Stereo's former drummer and a veteran from Rise Against on guitar, one can pretty easily guess things sound loud, hook-laden and a little peeved at the world¹s injustices. Then again, they're called Nations Afire, not Happy Bunny Funworld. But perhaps that can be the name they use for secret shows.
