Pete Yorn At The Roxy

Celebrating his newest album, which was released this week, Pete Yorn played to a packed show at The Roxy. This being his second project this year and the other one with Scarlet Johanson....Yorn's been a busy boy.

I never really listened to Yorn, but I was on a island in the ocean of fans. The crowd sang along to every song he played. These were his FANS and I really appreciated his effort to connect with the them. Before each song he told a little story about how each song came about, or what he thinks about when he plays them. Isn't that great?

Once in a while you hear a cover at a show and it's so great to hear another band taking on a new interpretation...in this case, York played New Order's, Bizarre Love Triangle. Yay - I got to sing along as well.

If you know the Roxy, you know that stage is small - and at times there were up to 10 band members on stage, which included a horn section....and don't forget cousin Goldblatt on the tambourine! He was rocking harder than anyone with that tambourine. One day cousin Goldblatt, I will rock out with my tambourine too.

Catch him in August play The Fonda.

A Night At the Roxy : Krista & Shwayze

Last night I was invited to come check out J Records newest signing,Krista. A young angsty singer who is a mix of Avril Lavigne, Kid Rock, and Evanescence all combined into one small package.

Her story is told on her myspace page that her half Puerto Rican, half Italian background, raised by her old school grandmother in Brooklyn shaped her into the woman she is today.



The young Hot Topic girls that need something to release to will flock to her. She's a tough girl with a soft exterior. Bopping around stage the girl has a wild ball of energy as her struggles and stories are told through her songs.



After Krista's spunky opening, Shwayze, who is Shwayze (Aaron Smith) and Cisco Adler, drove the crowd wild.I went with the hopes of a good laugh. I mean, they are reality stars, and Cisco is son of legendary Producer Lou Adler....but mostly known to people through his affiliation with stars like Paris Hilton and Mischa Barton. What I didn't expect was how much I would actually enjoy their music.



Similar to Mickey Avalon, Shwayze has a infectious style to their rap, that it's the perfect recipe for spring break or summer anthems.



A great ending to the night of young things at The Roxy? Spotting Lou Adler, 75, (who also happens to own The Roxy) outside the Roxy leaning up against a Jetta with a few guys, in all white, a white beanie hat, and white sun glasses with his long white hair. I guess daddy has seen Cisco a few too many times - but at least he was there in support.

SSMF : The Dealy Syndrome + Hot Hot Heat at The Roxy

You may or may not have heard of the SSMF/Sunset Music Festival - but this is the first year that this festival has occurred. It took place at historic Sunset venues from June 26-28. I went to one of the shows featuring Los Angeles bands The Shy's, The Deadly Syndrome, and Canada's Hot Hot Heat, at The Roxy.



I went specifically to see The Deadly Syndrome, because as many people know - I just love them and hope they "make it". It was a bonus that Hot Hot Heat were playing. I hadn't seen them live since their first album tour when I caught them playing to 15 people at a small music festival in Halifax in '02. This was probably the smallest venue they have seen since then.

The Deadly Syndrome were as solid as always, ending with their hit song "Eucalyptus". I love when they all gather at the drum. It is energetic and gets the crowd excited and then they say their good-bye's. I think it was the 4th time I have seen them this year. Is that enough times to say, "OK, I think I have seen them enough", and I hope that next time they are playing at some ridiculously big theatre that I wouldn't want to go because I wouldn't be able to see them from the nose-bleeds anyways.
As for the Hot Hot Heat. The lead singer seemed like he was having a great time with the small venue and crowd of teeny-boppers. The guitarist was a bit over it....but it was fun to see the lead singer/Steve (he does NOT look like a Steve), bop around the stage. At one point he invited some girls up to the stage...little did he probably know all the young girls would join them and it would take a few security guys to get them off the stage so the band could actually move.

It was good fun...and onto the next.