RIP Have Heart

On October 17, 2009, the world lost one of the best hardcore bands of all time. Have Heart played their final show at Club Lido in Boston MA last Saturday to a 2,000 + crowd with bands like Shipwreck AD, Bane, Foundation, and labelmates on Bridge 9 Records Cruel Hand. I was lucky enough to catch this band on their 2nd to last Southern California show ever, and seeing as how that was all kinds of astounding, I can only imagine how amazing their final hometown show was. These guys represented something different in music. They were not just a "chuggachuggabreakdownscreamchuggachugga" band, they were a band that meant every word they said, every song was pointed and had a message, and these meanings and messages were about living a positive life with the people you love around you. Vocalist Patrick Flynn wrote lyrics that addressed themes not usually addressed in hardcore: family, the failures one feels when compared to them, the struggles they face with problems like alcohol, and the fight to break from the family tradition of addiction. Who else in music writes about things like that?

My point here is that a great band lived for 7 years. From 2002 through 2009, Have Heart showed us what hardcore had the potential to be. I am grateful that I got to experience them for myself, and I encourage all of you who don't already know their stuff to go and check it out here. Then go to Bridge 9's site and buy their entire discography. Honor the only band in hardcore that could make me permanently etch their words onto my body.

Review: Paramore -brand new eyes

When I pre-ordered my copy of the (surprisingly sold out) deluxe edition of the new Paramore album brand new eyes, I honestly was just doing it for the vinyl 7" that came with it featuring two of the album tracks acoustic. But as I watched the DVD before I popped in the cd, I began to get even more excited for the record. My first impression of the bands state of mind is that they truly believe in the album that they have created. It was explicitly stated by several members several times that they believed in it, but it was easy to visually see that this record means a lot to them. My expectations grew, and honestly there is only one way to describe how I feel about this.

brand new eyes, in short, is perfect.

The opening track, "Careful" is a blistering introduction, loaded with siren guitars (compliments of guitarists Josh Farro, Taylor York, and Jeremy Davis on the bass) and thunderstorm drums (from younger Farro Zac)backing up lead singer Hayley Williams' obscenely gorgeous vocal abilities. As she howls, the band keeps pace with her in a pattern that follows through the next couple tracks of angry and well versed punk pop. This includes the current and first single off the brand new eyes, "Ignorance", which fully embodies the attitude that is prevalent on the record: one that is essentially a huge 'fuck you' to blamers and shamers. A very musically eloquent and beautiful crafted fuck you.

But then halfway through the calling out, the track "The Only Exception" slams into you with a totally different feeling, one of love and devotion that I have not seen from Paramore since way back when in 2005 with the closing track to All We Know Is Falling "My Heart". Instead of the resentment and pent up frustration that is the focus of a majority of the rest of it, this one, "Where the lines Overlap", and closer "All I Wanted" are stunning songs that showcase the softer side of not only Williams but then entire group. But more on that later.

The last half of the album features some more of the faster tempo songs, but it also is the part where Paramore seems to be experimenting more, and with success. "Misguided Ghosts" sounds like it was a b-side to post hardcore behemoths (and Paramore influences) Thrice's The Alchemy Index "Earth" EP. A more folksy and bare bones song, this track is a departure from anything the band has done before and instead of failing like so many bands often do, these kids from Tennessee get it right.

And then there is the closer. Final tracks are always tricky: you don't want to do a song that feels like it is being forced to be an end, but you also don't want the album to just end. Paramore have never had that much of a problem closing out their records (if you didn't get the chills while listening to "My Heart" then you need to get your nervous system checked out), but "All I Wanted" outdoes anything I have ever listened to in closing terms, including the holy grail from Brand New's (the band) first album Your Favorite Weapon, "Soco Amaretto Lime". Starting with a soft duet between Williams and the elder Farro, the track crescendos into a tidal wave of perfect melody and feeling. There is no way I can make you understand the way this track feels, it's one you'll have to hear for yourself.

In Alternative Press, Scott Heisel pretty much has it down pat in his review when he says that Riot! (Paramore's previous sophomore)was top heavy, the first half running laps around the letdown of a second half. And it is true, all the good songs on Riot! were within the first 25 minutes or so. But this is not the case on eyes, where there is no bad song to counteract the great ones. It sounds so foreign to me as a reviewer to say this, but they are all strong songs that could be good on their own, but as they are together make a masterpiece.

In conclusion, this might very well be the album of the year. Congratulations to Paramore for making a record that proves that anger, hurt, redemption, and love can all be overwhelming at times, but can also come together and influence one of the best records the music world will get.

Download These (legally!): The whole album. It's worth it.

New Picshas

(editors note: apparently "picshas" is a real word because the little red line that my mac uses to indicate that I'm being stupid and spelling something wrong is not coming up. who knew?)

Hey! Just a quick update until o get 5 seconds to breathe and post a real update, one including a review of the new Brand New album Daisy, the Gaslight Anthem, and next week the review of the apparently very good new Paramore record brand new eyes (punctuated just like that fyi). Until then here are some pictures of the new vinyl this week has brought me.

This is the latest 7" release from two very great folk punk bands, Fake Problems and Ninja Gun and is a split featuring one track from each. The Fake Problems side features a b-side "The Manliest Man of All Men" from the It's Great To Be Alive sessions, and the Ninja Gun side "Time and a Half"

This is a copy of The Gaslight Anthem's Sink or Swim Demos which features the tracks "Drive", "Navesink Banks", and "Drive". Got this at the show. The story that accompanies this 7" will be told in that review post.

Seattle Straight Edge masters (and now sadly defunct) CHAMPION's last LP Promises Kept. First pressing on grey vinyl, out of 750

"With X'ed up fists and singalongs"

Blurp

Gaslight Anthem is so great

Lady Gaga, Please Die.

Whenever I see her, I want to blind small children to save them from her hideousness.

Exhibit A:

Christmas in September

Best vinyl day in a long time. Not one, but TWO media mail boxes were home waiting for me when I rolled in after class today. They held my 2 copies of Life Long Tragedy's Runaways record, one on black/cream splatter and one on a black and cream mix. Gorgeous. And the second box, the one I've been drooling over, was my out of 100 "Friends Press" on clear waxSongs To Scream at the Sun from my favorite hardcore band Have Heart.

total epic win.

Side A of the "mix" version of Life Long Tragedy's LP.
Side B
Splatter version
My almost full box of records! In my great little woven wood milk crate from Target.
The gem. Only 100 of these ever made. One of the rarest versions of the best hardcore album of 2008, possibly of all the 2000's.

good day.

KanYE = FaIL

First off, take your damn sunglasses off your crop circle shaved head. You are inside. It is nighttime. 'Nuff said. Secondly, I am not a fan of Taylor Swift, but my God bro, bum rushing her the first time she ever wins an award is a really shitty thing to do. And you can apologize all you want, but you ruined it for her. She is a 19 year old kid. And you managed to humiliate her in front of half the country. This was a dick move man. And I don't think America will look the other way this time when you've gone and shit all over it's sweethearts shining moment.

doh.

new beeeeeautiful color vinyl

This is why I love vinyl so much. I had a crap day, and I come home to a record shipper from Revelation Records (www.revhq.com) and I open this bad boy up and out comes a gorgeous half and half dip of orange and plum. 2nd pressing out of 545. Great hardcore band. RIYL: Life Long Tragedy, Final Fight, Verse
Out of 300, (and sold out!!!!!!), this is an edition of the first press of Polar Bear Club's excellent sophmore record, Chasing Hamburg, out on Bridge 9 records www.bridge9.com

The album was also pressed on a cloudy gold to match the artwork, and a dark sky blue to also compliment the art. Very nice job to Bridge 9. The gold and blue colored LP's are still up for grabs so snag one while you still can or else it's the second pressing for you!

Extra Extra, See all about it

New vinyl. New noms.

This is a copy of the hardcore band Foundation's latest 7" Hang Your Head EP. I highly suggest checking these guys out, as they are opening for Have Heart's final US tour (which was the best fucking show i've ever been too)
The close up of the above mentioned 7", a gorgeous example of pristine splatter vinyl. Came with a download card too.
First pressing of Soul Control's newest LP, Cycles out on Bridge 9 records. White is apparently the rarest color.
ISHC HPxHC EP on blue/silver half and half dip. Was supposed to be maroon and yellow, but I'll gladly take this happy surprise. Thanks Vinyl Collective!
Living With Lions highly anticipated (by me) full length, Make Your Mark.
Broadway Calls Be All You Can't Be on /400 Vinyl Collective exclusive color green.

Arctic Monkeys 3rd LP Humbug, out by Domino Records.

Gig Life Tour

Went to possibly one of the funnest shows I've been to in awhile: the Gig Life Tour with Set Your Goals headlining, and Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, and Fireworks opening.

We arrived late to the Glasshouse, but only a few minutes after they opened the doors so me and my best friend were able to get a great spot on the balcony after browsing the merch room (yeah, Glasshouse has a whole room for merch. Suck on that, two crappy folding tables at Chain Reaction). After we got a shirt from FYS and the Summer of George 7" from Polar Bear Club (on the grey tour only vinyl) apiece, we headed to the bar, got ourselves some root beer and headed upstairs and claimed a balcony spot. The night we went was Drive A's last night on the tour, and so some special stuff went on with them, which I will go into detail about a little bit later in this post.

After Drive A finished up, Polar Bear Club came on to my excitement. I have loved this band for awhile, and this was the first time for me seeing their live show. I was not disappointed at all. The trademark gravel-guzzling vocals that are associated with PBC were out in full force from singer Jim Stadt, and their set was a precursor for what was to come along next.

I was introduced to Four Year Strong a couple years ago at Bamboozle Left, and have subsequently seen them every time they have played out here since. They always put on a good show. Always. I have never left a set from Four Year Strong NOT feeling like my head was going to fall off from awesomeness. Thursday's show was no different, as they played a good show full of songs from Rise or Die Trying (their 2008 record) and two songs from their just released last month covers album, Explains It All. It was a great set from them, and I am genuinely stoked for their next tour when I can see them again.

Set Your Goals was headlining and came on last, and I swear it was worth it. Such a great show. High energy, wonderful sound, and a fantastic mix of tracks from their new album and their previous LP Mutiny! helped to make it a show worth remembering.

finally I've figured it out

I have understood why I have this need, a literal need, for the music I love. It's ridiculously simple, but the most true things usually are.

Music is the only thing, the honest to God only thing, that can pinpoint exactly what I am feeling.

You can't describe utter devastation in words. You can't accurately describe what is feels like to hate yourself and the way you are so much that you don't want to exist anymore because you feel you are too disgusting. Nothing can act as a synonym for total rage. Only sounds can emulate those for me, and can help me make sense of them. That is why I need songs. That is why I need to go to shows and be smashed alongside 300 other people singing the words to a track so loudly with those people that the singer is drowned out by us. It is a sense of community I am sure only vigorously religious groups can vouch for feeling as well. You either get it or you don't.

And I am lucky to be one of the few who gets it.

Who would guess?

Everything > hipster indie music

Here is the problem that I have with bullshit indie soapbox shouters Spin Magazine and Pitchfork: You swear that everything else is generic and a repeat of something from the early nineties, yet the bands you cream yourselves over are repeats as well. You fall head over heels for the newest, quirkiest sound out there, with names that are the biggest and stupidest non-sequiturs music has to offer, and you pronounce from your high and mighty websites and pages that this kind of music is good, that this music has the answers for everyone, and anyone who dares listen to anything else might as well be listening to the same cab horns and subway cars that blare through your studio apartment walls in Williamsburg. You hipster bitches think that by wearing clothes that make you stand out in a crowd, you are being original. But when you traipse over to see these God sends of music play, you all look exactly the same: bored, standing with a plastic cup of $20 beer, and wearing clothes that make you look like an idiot.

Sooooooo original.

So while you go off and enjoy bands that use a ukulele, bang pots and pans for drums, and sing songs about hippie shit while coked up and cracked out, I'll be at a show having a good time with a community that stands for leading a better life, stands for keeping our bodies clean and pure of the shit that you shove up your noses, and stands for something more than just getting your ugly Ray Ban wearing mug on Brooklyn Vegan.

death to the hipsters.

I love Media Mail

In the world of vinyl (for which this blog is about), I have some more cool things to show. I got a bunch of records in this week, most of which are below. I also received my Lily Allen It's Not Me, It's You picture disc, but I accidentally deleted the pic and am too lazy to take another one. So if you must see a photo of it, go google it.

Here are some of the new pieces of wax that arrived last week.

This is the Sideonedummy limited (out of /100) copy of Broadway Calls to-be-released on August 18th record, Good News, Bad Views.

My copy is one of the silk screened copies. It is number 17 out of 100. :-)

Pennsylvania's finest punk band Title Fight and their latest album The Last Thing You Forget

Lily Allen The Fear 7" featuring the first single off It's Not Me, It's You "The Fear" and the b-side "Kabul Shit"

The new gem of my collection, Verse's 2004 record Rebuild, featuring one of my favorite songs from them, "Saying Goodbye". Long out of print, and the fruits of my ebay battle labor.

on a side note, I saw 500 Days of Summer today, and I have to tell ya, it is one of the best movies EVER. The soundtrack is great, featuring cuts from the Smiths, and some from lead actress Zooey Deschanel solo and with her indie project She & Him. Go see it.

Back with a vengence

hey errbody. Been awhile, but I'm back.

Anyways. Pics galore to follow, but I think it's prudent to get the boring text part out of the way first. Picked up a truckload of new wax over the past few weeks, and my ebay madness is the main reason I have been so lame in the updates department.

Above is the complete first pressing collection of Bayside's latest 2008 studio release Shudder. Red as the general color out of 500, blue as the Victory Records exclusive out of 200, and the Hot Topic exclusive yellow, unknown pressing info on that one.

This is the second pressing of Fake Problems' It's Great To Be Alive on purple.

Broadway Calls' reissued 2007 self titled debut album on clear blue. Matches great with the artwork. Also available on gold wax from Adeline Records.

Brand spankin' new! Baltimore's best hardcore band Trapped Under Ice Secrets of the World on ice colored vinyl, which is a cloudy version of the clear, or a non blue coke bottle color. Beeeautiful.

Vinyl Collective exclusive, Ninja Gun Restless Rubes on green wax and a silk screened jacket.

Crime In Stereo Is Dead. Masterpiece of post hardcore.

Latest pressing of the 2007 EP, the Gaslight Anthem's Senor and the Queen 10" on clear red.

Fake Problems Dream Team 7" on white

Have Heart's last 7" You Can't Go Home Again. Powerful message from singer Patrick Flynn on the inside of the cover. One of my all time favorite bands right here. They are going on their last tour of the United States as I type, and I am honored that I get to be a witness to this tour. This EP features songs from their last LP Songs to Scream at the Sun.

Local LA band Final Fight teamed up with Life Long Tragedy to put out this sucker punch of a split on half yellow, half cloudy clear like the Trapped Under Ice LP above. Great stuff, and it's on iTunes so you can get the split for $3 bucks. Worth it, trust me.
Verse's final 7", Story of a Free Man, featuring the epic three track "story" from their final LP Aggression.

watch, feel, love.

this is a video of one of my all time favorite songs from one of my all time favorite bands, Verse. The song is called "Saying Goodbye" and is off their Rebuild album. This is simply one of those songs that hits you right in the gut and never lets up. It is brilliant.<

http://www.youtube.com/v/KHYX24J6kQI&hl

eff my life

The past couple days/past week and a half have been shit, so I perked myself up by ebaying like crazy and buying records at a whiplash inducing pace. The below list are all the records I have bought or am in the process of buying since my last post:

Bought/Won

 - Have Heart  You Can't Go Home Again 7"

 - Crime In Stereo ...Is Dead 1st press LP 

 - Final Fight/Ending In Tragedy Split 7"

 - Broadway Calls s/t on blue

 

Bidding

 - Verse Story of a Free Man grey vinyl 7"

 - Verse Story of a Free Man red vinyl 7"

 - Verse From Anger and Rage white vinyl 1st press 12" 

woooo. Next up is some other Have Heart full lengths and then I need to pay my phone bill. Reality bytes. 

Making Up for Lost Time.

So yet again, more vinyl news to post. Hot Topic finally stepped it up and posted the Bayside Shudder vinyl on their site, turns out its yellow wax, not the green I was expecting but thats the cool thing about vinyl. You can think you know whats up and then BAM! it is totally something different. I just ordered my copy, so now I have every color of the records first pressing. wooooo.

In other news, I saw Living With Lions and The Swellers at their recent show in LA on July 3rd at the Kintting Factory. Very very fun show. The crowd was deader than Michael Jackson (oh shit, yes I did just saw that) but the bands kept up the energy and played an awesome couple of sets. I picked up Living With Lions latest release, Dude Manor 10" on white. Sounds legit, is legit. Since I've been saving every penny for my new Macbook, I have stayed away from the record stores and websites in an attempt to curb my habit of buying every record I lay eyes on, but since I have enough for the Mac now, I celebrated by picking up The Gaslight Anthem's latest EP, Senor and the Queen, on it's latest repress on a clear red 10". I also took advantage of Vinyl Collective's 2 For Tuesday deal with Ninja Gun and Fake Problems. The Ninja Gun LP is Restless Rubes on green wax with a silk screened jacket /200. The Fake Problems album is the newest pressing of It's Great To Be Alive on purple wax. The Fake Problems one will go nicely with the gold copy I have, and there is no better way to get familier with a band like Ninja Gun than on vinyl, so I am looking forward to it arriving soon.

I've also been reading some really good stuff lately, music related of course. Check out this one for starters, "New Brunswick, New Jersey, Goodbye:Bands, Dirty Basements, and the Search for Self" by Ronen Kauffman. It was the most honest and interesting book I've picked up in awhile and everyone who cares even a little bit about hardcore should read this. www.myspace.com/hubcitybook

Updates and more pics soon. For now, enjoy this bad boy.

4th of July

Happy Birthday America! This year I got you something we really needed:

A competent President.

Snaps for Barack Obama and for America finally getting it right.

Massive Update

Hey everybody, a TON has happened since my last post doting on Warped Tour and the death of the pedophile and I thought an update was prudent.

First off, I recieved my Shudder vinyl. I got my Victory exclusive Blue (/200) and my Vinyl Collective copy on red. The record on cd was mixed low, and the vinyl version dosen't really help, but it still sounds good. Nowhere near the great quality of The Walking Wounded however. I have been harassing my local Hot Topic store about their supposed exclusive color, but so far nothing has arrived for their stocks, nor has it been put on their internet site. Oh well, shit happens.

I also managed to get my hot little hands on some other pretty great stuff. I got another unwarped copy of the Tom Gabel 7" Anna Is A Stool Pigeon, I got a silver and green half and half dip of the International Superheroes of Hardcore 7" HPxHC, and I got a new little gem to my collection as well.

I'd been jonesing for this particular slice of heaven for awhile and for a few reasons. I really love white vinyl. I'm not completely sure why, but there is something about the total opposite f the standard black wax that is so cool to me. That and I love New Found Glory to extreme levels (see my very first posts chronically following my attempts to get a copy of their s/t album) and I want every piece of them on vinyl that I can get. This particular 7" is the Listen to Your Friends single, which features the normal version of the song on the A-side and the instrumental version on the B-side. Very cool, and also very good luck in finding this. I was at a store I didn't know carried vinyl and I saw three copies (sealed of course) of this 7" and I was contemplating buying all three to better my chances of getting one pressed on white. I only picked up one, and lo and behold! It was white. Snaps.

The last bit of new vinyl news I have is that I got Glassjaw's revered first album, Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence, on the one time only 10,000 double LP pressing.

Damn thats a mouthful to type.

But it was worth it. That is an era-defining album that set the blueprint for all post-hardcore to follow. Thrice, Thursday, Underoath, and countless others have obviously taken from this format and it shows. Thrice in much subtler ways, but Thursday has blatently listened to EYEWTKAS once or twice. Very good album, sounds great on the old turntable.

Warped Tour

Ohmaigawsh.

Warped ruled. It was awesome. Amazing. Out of this world legit. Why? I'll tell ya: I MET BAYSIDE.

That's right. What you are seeing is not thine's eyes decieving you. I met, conversed, and photographed with Bayside.

Got to Pomona around 9:30 in the AM, waited around for an hour and a half, got in and went straight to the Hurley stage to see my beloveds play a blistering half hour set choc full of the hits, and then later that day went to their merch tent for their signing and met and talked to all of them. Chris (the drummer, all tatted up) and Jack (lead guitarist and avaitor wearer) were really sweet, and thanked me when I told them that every time I see them they blow me away. Nick (the bassist) was very soft spoken and a real nice dude. Anthony (the singer) was very humble and super cool. Those two were really appreciative when I told them that they had no idea how much their music meant to me. I'm so happy that I didn't clam up and look like a deer in the headlights when I met them. I got some really nice girl from Moreno Valley to take our pictures. They signed a poster of their set times that I stole off of a trashcan, and which I framed and hung on my wall this morning. It is glorious.

In other news, I got to see the three bands that I wanted to while at Warped: Bayside, Thrice, and NOFX. Bayside I already gushed about, so on to the next ones. Thrice played perfectly. They seriously sounded as perfect live as they do on their albums. NOFX was by far the funniest on stage banter providing band. Fat Mike managed to insult Jews, Mexicans, black people, Michael Jackson, and his bandmates, all in a 40 minute set. They played on of my favorite songs off their new record Coaster (or Frisbee if you were like me and picked up the vinyl copy), "My Orphan Year". I also managed to get a few pictures of those two groups onstage.

It was such a great day. I got everything and more that I wanted out of it.

And to top it off, we ate at Denny's afterwards.

Solid Gold.

MJ.

Michael Jackson is dead.

No matter how brillant he was in his music, he had issues. I feel very very conflicted about how to feel about this.

My fire list.

Today at work I was talking to my friend about how during the last earthquake we had here, the first thing I went to grab was my record collection. From there the conversation went on for another 20 minutes about all the vinyl I have recently ordered, and so on and so forth. Then she said something profound. She said "Now that you have so many records, you might not be able to carry them all out in an earthquake"

This has rattled me to my very core. Mostly because it's true.

I have a hard time picking up my Target wood woven milk crate that houses my records because it is so full of the goodness, that if there were a fire or something, I would not be able to save my records or myself. I would have to choose between life with no vinyl, or death with melted vinyl.

It's a terrible thought to behold.

So I have begun work on a list. A list I have tentatively titled: If My House Was On Fire and I Was Running for My Life, Which 5 Records Would I Save?

Here is a list of contenders. This is not a final list. I reserve the right to change and interchange the records and their positions at any time. When I have my final list, I'll let you know. Scouts honor.

EDIT: I just realized that the number one spot is already decided. That is non-debatable.

Cloie's If My House Was On Fire and I Was Running for My Life, Which 5 Records Would I Save? list version 1.0

1. Bayside - The Walking Wounded
2. Verse - Aggression
3. Fake Problems - It's Great To Be Alive
4. New Found Glory - s/t picture disc
5. Menzingers - Hold On, Dodge! 7" EP

A few quick things

1 - If you are going to be a pretentious writer, at least learn how to correctly spell and punctuate your useless rants. And learn how to Google. Not knowing when an album was released is inexcusable in the internet era.

2 - I'm sleepy.

3 - Dear Pitchfork, because of this I am feeling like the picture below accurately represents how I feel towards you.

Snaps for exclusive colors

Awesome weekend for my record player. It got some new friends to spin, and there is another on the way. One that I have been waiting months for. Yes, it's true - Victory Records has officially pulled an awesome move and put up the Bayside Shudder LP on Blue wax for order in their store. Guess who just ordered their copy? Now I have a copy of the album on red from VC, a copy of the blue from Victory, and I'm just waiting on Hot Topic to announce their color. I'm thinking it'll be green. Wooo for 2/3's of the trifecta of goodness. Along with that bit of deliciousness, I picked up the newest H20 record Nothing To Prove. I had been seeing it every time I went to my local record store for 3 months and I hadn't taken the plunge, but yesterday I couldn't justify not buying it anymore. I open it thinking it is going to be on the 2nd pressing of 1,000 on clear, but it's not, turns out it is one of the 1st pressing on chedder yellow wax. Sounds awesome. I also got one of the Young Widows/Pelican split 7". The 2006 Rise Against album The Sufferer & The Witness also came home. Great vinyl weekend.

Camera Obscura and Bat For Lashes

The past two weeks I have managed to get myself out of the daily grind at work an hour or so early in order to see some really great sets from some non American bands. The first was Camera Obscura at the Glasshouse in Pomona, on the 9th of June, the second was Bat For Lashes on June 16th at the El Ray in LA. Woooo.First show first. Camera Obscura is a band I have known about for a few years, and who I was introduced to by my indie savvy cousin. I missed their last show that he went to in LA at the Troubador, but luckily I was able to make it out to Pomona this time. The great thing about bands playing there is how awesome the Glasshouse is. I have been there a few times before, and I have never had a negative experience. The staff is good, there is a bar in the back that has affordable drinks (none of this $7 dollar water bullshit like at the Grove. ugh), and the space is big enough so that there is a pretty good sized crowd, but small enough that the show still feels intimate. The opening band was a group of newbies from Sacramento, Agent Ribbons (www.myspace.com/agentribbons), who were hilarious and sounded great to boot. It is a group of three chicks wearing Strawberry Shortcake inspired outfits, singing songs about going the circus, and using a chello instead of a bass. Which is awesome.

Camera Obscura were ah-mazing, playing all the hits, such as "Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken", new vinyl single (which I own) and one of my personal favorites "French Navy", and they ended the set with an amazing version of "Razzle Dazzle Rose". Very awesome show. What made the whole night even better was that before we went into the venue, we ate at the little bistro across the street, and who was seated at the table behind us? None other than the members of Camera Obscura themselves.A few days ago I went again with said cousin and some friends to see Pichfork darling Bat For Lashes at the El Ray in Los Angeles. I really wasn't sure what to expect, seeing as how I knew her rep for being somewhat strange, but I was stoked nonetheless. The openers were a local LA band called HECVBA (pronounced HEC-UBA), and honestly, I thought I was going to have a seizure. They were terrible. The singer looked like a really old Jenny Lewis who was writhing around the stage like she was having some sort of epileptic fit. The other guy in the band looked way to into his bass and laptop as he played, and I was so very happy when they were done. Bat For Lashes opened with my favorite track"Glass", which sounds so much better live than it does on the LP. She played latest single "Daniel" twice, the first time stripped down and "acoustic" and the sencond time as the closing song to the encore with the full band behind her. I was really impressed with how cool of a demeanor she had onstage. She seemed to breally just be having fun, enjoying her time making music. One point of interest that I noticed immediately - her voice sounds pristine live. No really. It sounds studio quality. That is the mark of ture talent, someone who has the live chops to go along with studio skills.

It is also worth a mention that my mother came with me to both of these shows. Yeah thats right, be jealous. My mom is rad.

Two weeks, two great shows, and next week Warped Tour to looke forward too. Snaps for summer tours.